The Medium
by Nature9000
Summary: After a near death experience left Beck and his girlfriend with the ability to see ghosts, he must struggle to maintain his personal and social life while being tasked to help guide lost souls to the other side. Soon, however, Beck must combat a prophesized ancient evil threatening to consume the world. Can he prepare in time, or will he fall against this mysterious force?
1. New Beginnings

The Medium

Disclaimer: own nothing

A/N: This is a spin-off/sequel to _"Karma's Ghost"_ , Beck is a medium here, able to help the dead with unfinished business, and preparing to fight an unknown ancient evil prophesized to destroy the world. This chapter will have a slight recap of the prior story for those who haven't read. I still suggest you go back and read _Karma's Ghost_ if you haven't, however.

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Chapter 1 (New Beginnings)

Beck stood by the piano, gazing up the stairs as he waited for Jade to come down. In his hands were two coffee cups to start the day. Her family was out for the day, taking her younger brother to the hospital; so the two were going to be watching some movies.

Mostly she'd be watching them while he wrote an entry in his new journal. Beck wasn't too thrilled about the horror movies she got over Christmas break

In the weeks that passed since the Vega family moved out and Jade's family moved in, it still felt weird meeting her here. The piano was also left behind by the family as a gift, primarily because it was largely unused and David's new wife already had a piano at home.

He set the cups on the edge of the piano and took a deep breath as he heard Jade shut the bedroom door and walk towards the end of the hall, she gripped the stairwell firmly and cracked a smile. "Raven's asleep, so the rest of the evening is ours." Jade slid her hair behind her ear and started down the first step.

Beck watched closely, still worried about her muscles. After being comatose for a year, she was still recovering and doing well, but he worried constantly. "Careful coming down the steps, don't go too fast." Her eyes darted over and she shook her head.

"You don't have to baby me, Beck." She was getting used to more than just her muscles, but having been out of her body for so long was also something she had to deal with. "I saved an entire family, destroyed a demon and helped my dad find his own happiness. I _think_ I can handle a few stairs."

"Yes, yes." He crossed his arms and smirked. "Except you did all that as a ghost, you've got to handle being alive again. Now about you and finding your dad's happiness, I thought he found that on his own?" He tilted his head and raised his right finger to his chin.

Jade chuckled softly and took another step, her foot trembling ever so slightly. "Well I helped because I came back to life, right? My reward for saving the Vegas from death and damnation, right?"

"Sure." Beck slid his tongue along his lower lip, watching anxiously as Jade took another step. It had been his fault, after all. His anger towards Samuel Ross for what happened in the past had just been so overwhelming. "Have I apologized for wrecking that car yet?"

Jade rolled her eyes and continued down the next three steps. "Only a million times. It's _okay_ , you were provoked and angry."

"I should have had more control."

"I don't fault you for that. I'm alive, and so are you." Beck felt his heartbeat skip and he extended his hand, letting Jade place hers in his. She smiled sweetly and looked into his eyes. "Besides, if it hadn't of happened, Death would have had no reason to give me a second chance. It's that second chance that saved the Vegas, and well, you know how it affects me."

"Yeah." She stumbled on the bottom step and fell forward with a yelp. Thinking fast, Beck rushed forward and caught her in his arms. Jade chuckled nervously and gazed up through her dark bangs. "Thanks."

"Told you, you have to be more careful." He hugged her close and kissed the top of her head. Her fingers curled on top of his chest and she closed her eyes, swaying gently in his arms. He could never get enough of being able to hold her like this again, and prayed he'd never have to risk losing her a second time. "I love you."

"I love you too." She raised her head up and kissed his chin. "Now let's watch those movies." Jade squeezed his upper arms and slid her hands down them. "Just don't spend the entire time with your nose in the journal, I want to still be able to talk to you."

"Of course, but I can't promise I'm going to focus completely on those horror movies." Jade laughed and grabbed her coffee cup before rushing towards the couch. "Hey be careful, don't run!"

"Stop babying me, Beck. I'm okay."

"I can't help it, I'm sorry." He followed her to the couch and took a seat. She curled up against his right arm and curled her legs on the couch, smiling softly as the first movie began. With a sigh, Beck grabbed his journal an d pen off the end table.

"Beck look at the screen, it's a ghost!" Without missing a beat, he raised his eyes up and rather than seeing the ghost on the television, he saw a ghost with a bloodied face walking past the window behind the television. Jade draped her arm across his stomach and let out a content sigh.

"Great." He put his pen to the paper, knowing if he acknowledged seeing the ghost outside, it would come in. "This is our break time, no dealing with ghosts and their problems right now…you see why I can't enjoy horror movies, right?"

"Oh hush."

He smirked and focused on his first journal entry, scribbling swift and neatly. _"My name is Beck Oliver and after a car accident last year, my girlfriend and I can see ghosts. It all began when I encountered a former friend of mine, Samuel Ross."_ His hand tensed around the pen and he grit his teeth together. _"Years ago he dated Trina Vega. He beat her senseless, and I found her. Once I took her to the hospital, I ended my friendship with Ross, and out of my own guilt, I built a friendship with the Vega family…"_

Jade let out a shriek that caused Beck to raise his eyes to the television. "He went into the closet and got speared, Beck! He got speared with a fire poker that came out of nowhere." Beck raised an eyebrow and smiled as her fingers tightened around a lump of his shirt.

"After everything we dealt with, _that_ startled you?"

"Well you know…I uh…" Jade cleared her throat and smacked his journal. "Keep writing!"

"Of course."

He moved back to his journal, sighing heavily as he continued his entry. _"Trina sent her sister to Hollywood Arts so she could hopefully have friends there because I was there with my friends. Jade didn't like her too much, but that's history…A year ago around Christmas, I was driving home when Ross approached in his car. I sped after him and rolled off the road. Both of us 'died' at the hospital, but I was resuscitated and because of this, I had a connection to the supernatural. Jade was approached by the Grim Reaper known as Death, and due to a deal made with the spirit, or angel, of her sister, she was given a chance to change the circumstances of her life in order to return to her body. Her assignment? Save the Vega family from a tragedy that would kill them all."_

Jade's hand tightened once more and Beck looked back at the television screen. He frowned when he saw a red devil popping out onto the screen and laughing. "It's okay Jade."

"I know, it's just a stupid jump scare."

"Honestly, _Friday the 13_ _th_ is scarier."

"Try _Nightmare on Elm Street_."

"We're getting to both today?"

"Uh huh."

He chuckled softly and returned to his journal. _"Turns out the Vega family was corrupted by a demonic ghost named Leroy. He'd haunted them, influencing their emotions and feelings that caused so much isolation and bullying within the family. Thankfully, with the help of Death and two angels, Jade destroyed the demon. Holly married the girls' biological father, Gary Malone. David was reunited with his childhood sweetheart, Amber. Trina married Jason Tyler and has a newborn baby girl. Tori, as well, is in a much better place. She has her friends and is still trying to decide where she wants to be in life."_

 _" Jade's father married a woman with two children and moved into the Vega family home once Mr. Vega sold it, which led Jade to sacrifice herself by breaking the ultimate restriction of ghosts by obliterating Leroy and wiping him from existence. This sacrifice moved the Spirits and they happily saved her from banishment by returning her to her body."_

He cracked his neck to the side and glanced down towards Jade, smiling as the glow of the television lit up her cheeks and forehead. The images glittered in her eyes, creating an attractive sparkling effect.

Beck leaned down, kissing the top of her head. She closed her eyes and hummed. "What was that for?"

"No reason. Just glad you're here."

She looked to him, studying him closely before leaning up to kiss his lips. "I'm glad you're here. I'm sure the Vegas are too." She stuck out her tongue and he smirked back at her. "Now that I understand your friendship with them, of course."

"You're just as important."

He glanced sideways at the window to see another ghost passing by. This time it had burn marks all over its body. For Beck, it was normal to see scars or signs indicating how the ghost passed. Like singer Miley Stewart, who was the first ghost he ever helped guide to the other side, she had bruises and gashes that she suffered in the plane crash. Those injuries only vanished once she dealt with her unfinished business, earning her brother's forgiveness, and when she was ready to move on.

Seeing ghosts and communicating with the dead seemed to happen to those that suffered near-death experiences. Surprisingly, even Detective Malone had the ability, having told Beck and Jade that he knew the entire time and had seen her; but he'd grown accustomed to ignoring the afterlife and pretending they were just human beings. Gary had seen Jade the entire time, and even thanked her for saving his family.

Returning to his journal, Beck tried to think of the plainest words he could use. He was nervous as well as anxious, knowing the task he had been given by Death. As now, it was his turn to play 'savior', and it sounded like his task was far greater than even Jade's-because where she saved two families, he had to do much more.

 _"I've been tasked not only with helping Death guide lost souls to the other side by helping them with unfinished business, but with stopping some unknown force that is supposedly on it's way. I don't know what it is, and it seems no one does. Death is vague as always, but I'm uncertain even he knows. I don't know if I'm ready for this, I was hardly ready to take on the responsibility of being a 'ghost whisperer'."_

There was someone that could help him; it was a medium that had mentored him for a brief amount of time. He wasn't sure if he could get her help this time, but Melinda Gordon taught him a lot about how to aid ghosts into crossing. Now, there was apparently some ancient evil out there that he knew nothing about, and it was going to be his duty to stop it.

 _"One step at a time though, I need to continue to learn what I can and grow where I can."_

In the corner of his eyes he saw a familiar ghost appear in the room. Taking a deep breath, he closed his journal and raised his head to look into the eyes of his mother. Jade turned her head, pursing her lips as she spotted the woman.

Now much closer, Beck was able to see marks around the woman's throat that made his heart sink. "You were murdered?"

His mother opened her mouth and spoke up for the first time since he'd been seeing her around his house. "It's time you learned the truth." Her voice was raspy and she sounded as though she were gasping for air. "Help me, Beck."

Jade let out a soft moan and started to sit up. "Does this mean our break is over?" She rubbed her eyes and Beck put an arm around her shoulders. The woman opened her mouth, making gagging noises that caused the lights to flicker and the television to shut off. Jade crossed her arms and huffed. "I guess that's a yes."

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What do you think?


	2. Nothing is Ever Simple

The Medium

Disclaimer: own nothing

A/N:

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Chapter 2 (Nothing is ever Simple)

The shock was dull and numbing, but Beck tried his best not to let that show. His mother passed away when he was much too young to remember her; and had always been told she died in an accident. "I never knew you." He sat up straight and sighed as Jade's arm slid down his arm with a slow and soothing motion.

All he knew of her was that her name, Traci Johnson, and that she was some sort of professional entertainer. He'd seen her only in ancient photographs and was aware that his father's side of the family never liked her much. "Dad didn't tell me much about you either."

"His family never let him." Traci frowned and lowered her head, letting her gentle brown hair roll across her pale cheeks and brush the top of the ligature marks on her neck. "They were concerned I was shameful. A 'whore', so to speak." Beck raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth partially.

"A _what_? Why?" His muscles started to tense as he watched his mother stroll along the carpet, sliding her hand along the air behind her. "I've always been proud of you, from the stories I've heard." He lips curved up and her eyelids closed over. "A performer, an entertainer. You were the reason I went into Hollywood Arts in the first place."

"You were a child. I wanted to protect you from the truth and begged Keith never to let you know. I didn't want to bring you any shame." She turned towards him, her hands sliding towards her hips. "Or disgrace." His brow furrowed and he could feel Jade's hand wrapping around his. "I didn't want you to think less of me or of your father, but you deserve the truth."

When he looked to his girlfriend, the worry on her face was telling. It seemed she understood what Traci was implying already. "What disgrace? What are you saying?" Upon his mother's face was a troubling expression of guilt and glossy eyes.

Traci wrung her hands in front of her waist and peered down at them, pursing her lips. "You see, your father was a wealthy businessman who loved me no matter what-despite how much his family thought I was a terrible person." She rolled her head to the right, sighing as her eyebrows slid up. "A terrible influence whose sole agenda was to marry him for money."

She raised her hands to her chest, taking in a deep breath. "I loved him deeply. He, in fact, rescued me." Beck nodded, understanding as much as he could and listening to her tale with a grain of salt for caution. He didn't want to be surprised, but knew he was going to be and needed to be ready for anything.

"From what?"

"I think I know," Jade whispered. Traci turned her head and Beck felt Jade squeeze his hand gently as though trying to comfort him. "She was a performer, but not just any kind. Right Mrs. Oliver?" As Traci shut her eyes, Beck felt his heart starting to give way. "His dad's family didn't like you because they thought you brought shame and disgrace, and you say he rescued you."

Traci lifted her head slowly, her ligature mark seeming sparkle in the light. Her eyes opened and glittered with tears. "I was a stripper at a _very_ seedy and illegal strip club." Beck's jaw nearly hit the floor and veins started popping from his hands. "By illegal, I mean patrons were allowed to do anything they wanted with the girls. We couldn't complain, and if we did, our bosses would…" Her breathing shook and rose with anger and disgust.

Beck felt his stomach starting to churn, his eyes grew dim with anger and pain as his mother's face wet with tears. "It was an evil place. The patrons weren't always bad, but our bosses? They were going to force me to get an abortion. Your father saved me by paying them a great deal of money to let me 'have fun' with him at a private hotel."

"Is that how you met? Him soliciting you for-"

"No!" Traci gasped in alarm and shook her head. "I would never want you to think that about him, Beck. He was a good man. Never slept with me until we wed." Beck scratched his chin, slowly raising an eyebrow as mother's words surrounded his head like a cloud of smoke. "He was an acquaintance of one of the bouncers there. A friend. He was visiting one day, having a drink or two at the bar when I went to sit down and talk to him."

"And what happened then?"

He choked on his words, struggling to contain the bile seeping up his throat. "He told me he was only visiting his friend at work and wasn't interested in anything more than just talking. So we got to talking, and he'd come in every now and then. I'd tell him what was going on, and I could tell it was affecting him. We hatched a plan to get me out of there-I was scared, but he got me out without much trouble."

"What about your bosses?"

"They didn't care about losing me. I was pregnant and not considered appealing anymore." He tensed, playing her words over through his head. Slowly he exchanged a look with Jade, whose brow was tense with concern and her eyes gazing up with sorrow.

"Beck, I think your mom's trying to say…" Her voice trailed off and she looked over as Traci let out a long exhale. She didn't have to say it, he'd already put two and two together.

"You said you and Dad never slept together until marriage, yet you were pregnant. Does that mean what I think it does?"

"I-" The woman hesitated, the tears in her eyes now rolling like rivers down her face. "I'm afraid so. Keith raised you, even made his own family think you were his child-they'd disown him if they thought otherwise." She swept her hair over her shoulder, scoffing loudly. "Marrying a stripper pregnant with another man's child. The _gall_ of it." There was a flash of rage and hate in her eyes, and a darkness spread across her face; it startled him to see.

"Let me guess. They didn't buy the story." He prayed he was wrong; he prayed his family had nothing to do with what happened to his mother. He'd seen the look of anger and vengeance in the eyes of a murdered ghost before, however, and it was usually directed at their killer. "This…is a lot to take in."

"I know." She sighed, her anger diminishing almost as fast as it appeared. "I'm sorry. You have to know, you have to understand. Keith is in no way responsible for my demise; he believes the same as you." Traci's hands closed tight and veins bulged from her hands and neck. "But his family found out and I was murdered for the lie."

He bowed his head, narrowing his eyes at the story that had been told to him all his life. Part of the fear and guilt he had over what happened to him and to Jade had been the story of his mother's 'accidental death'.

According to the family, she was driving down a road after the rain and struck a puddle, causing her to spin out. She crashed into a ditch and was knocked unconscious as a fire broke out, burning her beyond recognition.

Standing here now, she didn't harbor the burn markings that a ghost who had perished in a fire might have. "Did the fire-did it happen?" He strained himself not to cry, holding back the trembling anger in his throat. "Or was that something else? The coroner clearly didn't catch the strangulation mark there on your neck."

"The coroner didn't get to examine me. Your family forced Keith to have me cremated immediately. No investigation was ever opened up either."

"Why?"

"Your grandfather was a senator and didn't want his reputation damaged." Beck growled vehemently and shook his head. "But your grandmother was a congresswoman with political aspirations. She had more to lose when the news was discovered. She couldn't afford to let it get out and saw personally to my murder and the cover-up."

It was difficult to imagine his grandmother, who was now so frail and fragile, standing at five foot four, having the capability of murdering his mother-who appeared strong and was at least a head taller. "How did it happen?" He had to ask the question, it was imperative if he wanted to help her move on; but he also had to understand what it was that would make her do "Grandma is so small, so fragile. I can't see her taking you out by herself.'

"She was much stronger back then, and I was naïve as I was foolish." Traci folded her forearms at her waist and ran her hand gently along her left arm. "She invited me over for coffee saying she wanted to extend an olive branch. To apologize for her behavior." Traci gasped out and covered her mouth with trembling fingers. "She must have slipped something in there because I became drowsy and hot."

Traci slid her hand along the curve of her shoulder as she began to sweat. Beck raised his head and tightened his jaw. He could see Jade rubbing his arm, trying to console him, but his body was far too numb for him to feel it.

"I became weak, and she wrapped an extension cord tight around my neck. I could hardly fight back." Traci started gasping for air, relieving the memory of her death. "I was dead, but I could see everything. She called her grandfather in, who was aghast at what she had done, and ordered me put into the driver's side of my car and driven into a ditch."

"Then what?"

"They made it look like I had a gas leak, using external gasoline to create a trail and lighting it up." Traci shook her head, her hand swept across her forehead and she let out a heavy sigh. "They stood there watching, waiting for my body to get so badly burnt that no one would be able to tell…then called the firemen and paramedics. Police came out, but your grandmother had her husband pay them to look the other way."

"I know a good detective that won't look the other way. Detective Malone."

"It would be very difficult to prove my murder."

"But I need to help you move on." He swallowed his breath and stood up slowly, gazing into his mother's forlorn gaze. "You need peace. You need justice. Grandpa is long gone, but grandma's not. You can still get justice."

Traci smiled sadly and shook her head from side to side. "No Beck, I don't care about justice for myself." He hesitated, holding his breath and gazing skeptically. "Your grandmother has suffered so much in her life after the murder. Her husband's heart attack, her having a stroke…her deteriorating condition and cancer pulling her out of her career. Finally dementia and Alzheimer's. She's going to die alone in that nursing home."

"Come to think of it, Dad hasn't even talked to her since your death. He's the one that put her in the nursing home a long time ago, and hasn't seen her since that.'

"He always listened to the story of my death, but a part of him always suspected. He couldn't prove it, but everything was just so closely put together that he thought his parents may have done _something."_

"But then, if it isn't justice or revenge keeping you from crossing over, what is it?"

"Keith, and your biological father." Beck's brow furrowed and he bit down on his lip. His fists were balled up and trembling. "They were working on something when I was alive. You see, your father was a high profile lawyer at the time."

"He still does some pro bono work, but he's not as into law anymore as he used to be." What could his father have been doing at the time, and what did it involve his birth father for? "Who was my birth dad? One of your bosses? A client?"

"He was a client of your dad's. You remember the bouncer I spoke of before?" Beck's eyes grew large. "He was a married man with a young toddler of his own." His heart stopped and he clutched his chest, wincing in pain. "He'd never cheated before, and I shouldn't have tempted him the way I had…"

"Do I want to hear this?"

"No, but you have a right to." His knees began to buckle and leaned his head back slowly. Jade stood up behind him and ran her hands along his shoulders. She put her forehead to the back of his neck and he could feel her quivering. "I was drunk out of my mind and was getting cornered by my boss, who was starting to beat on me. Your birth father heard me screaming and rushed in, grabbing me away and taking me to safety…I was enamored and started kissing him. He pulled away only once, then let it happen."

Beck shut his eyes, groaning softly as he thought of the affair. "Did he regret it? Did you?"

"Regret what happened? No. When I told him I was pregnant, he was the first to want me to get out of there. He's the reason he convinced Keith to start visiting, because he knew Keith would want to get me out of there…He was the one that convinced _me_ to go talk to Keith before my boss forced me to get an abortion."

Beck's throat grew tight and he couldn't tell whether to be upset, hurt, angry, or proud of this man. "I pushed him forward." Traci put her hand to her chest and furrowed her brow. "If you were to blame anyone for that affair, blame me. He told me he didn't want to cheat on his wife, that he didn't want to take advantage either, but I kept going. I kept pushing him until he gave in."

"He still protected you. Why have I never met the man?"

"For your safety. For his and his family's. I mentioned Keith suspected his parents were involved in what happened to me. He was terrified they might do something…also terrified that my boss might try something if they knew what he and Jack were working on."

"What was that?"

"They were going to shut down the club. They were gaining evidence, building a case that could prove the club was basically a prostitution ring." Traci chuckled. "You mentioning Detective Malone is no coincidence. He was the detective Keith and Jack wanted to try and give all the evidence to."

"Oh."

"But when I passed…your father lost the drive. Jack's marriage was on the rocks as well, though I believe he and his wife patched things up for his son."

"I see." He was beginning to understand what it was his mother might be looking for. She needed the two men to reunite and finish the case. "You want this club exposed?"

"More than anything." Traci's eyes lit up with determination and passion, her voice flickered like a new flame. "It's only gotten worse." Traci sighed and crossed her arms. "However, I also want something else-I need something for you."

"What is that?"

"You deserve to know Jack, to know his family." Beck started coughing in surprise. He couldn't fathom how that would go over one bit. "Jack's wife is accepting, I know she is. It might be awkward, but I'm sure they'd love to meet you."

"I'm not sure if you know this mom, but walking right up to a family I've never met and saying 'hi, I'm your son from an affair', is not exactly going to win any brownie points with anybody. Especially since it's going to dredge up old wounds."

"I know, but I've helped guide things-to set things up." He raised an eyebrow and Traci sighed. "I've influenced you in ways you've never known. The yearning you had to join Hollywood Arts. That was me. You deserve to know your family, you have an older brother who is married now and has a child of his own."

"Really?" He was flabbergasted, blown away to hear that he could be an uncle. "Still, I can't imagine I'd be a welcome presence-and what does HA have to do with any of this?"

"Because you already know some of them. Jack's brother-in-law is a teacher at that school."

Beck raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth, his question rolling slowly off his tongue. "Say that again?"

"And then your friend joined that studio…"

"My fri-" He froze, his eyes growing even larger as realization began to sink in. "You're kidding." There was no question in his mind as to where this was leading, and as much as he wanted to let his disbelief turn into denial, he simply couldn't. It was much harder to react than it was not to react at this point; and what reaction would possibly be appropriate?

"O-Out of curiosity, what is Jack's last name."

"Tyler, Jack Tyler, and maybe if he saw the bond you already share with his son…it would help inspire him to get back on building that case. Maybe he'll talk to Keith?"

"I see." He crossed his arms. "So you want me to go up to a man I've already talked to, tell him I'm his brother from his father's long-forgotten affair and that I need to convince his dad to talk to my dad about bringing down that underground strip club?"

"Pretty much, but I want you to be able to be a part of that family…"

"That part's easier said than done." He let out a sigh, his head throbbing with pain. "I'm not sure which part is easier, either...I should've guessed it wasn't going to be easy.

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So we learned a few startling truths from Beck's mother, and meanwhile the arduous task laid out before him in order to help his mother cross over to the other side. What awaits?


	3. Brothers

The Medium

Disclaimer: own nothing

A/N:

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Chapter 3 (Brothers)

"You want to do _what_?" Beck shrank under his father's flabbergasted and horrified expression. He knew it wasn't going to be easy to convince his father to let him go through with his intentions of finding his birth-father, but he had to make the attempt.

"I already know who he is." As the words fell from his lips, he started to wince as the very words reminded him that he had no proof of how exactly he made this discovery. Keith's lips twisted and the man's heavy brow started to furrow. "I can't say how I know or found out, but I know the truth."

"The truth. I don't even know how you found out you were adopted to begin with." Keith scratched his head and grumbled. "Both your mother and your birth father asked that I not burden you with those details…that you grow up-"

"I know Mom wanted to protect me from who she was, and I'm okay with that." Once more a baffled look shot across his father's face. Beck took a deep breath and tried not to focus on his heart's incessant pounding from within. "Look, I just know. I found out, okay? I stumbled across something…well, I'm an adult now, and I don't think you need to worry about protecting me from anything anymore."

"I-" Keith's voice hesitated and he stumbled towards the couch, finally collapsing into the recliner next on the right side. "You do have a right to know, I just never imagined it would be like this…"

"You're still my father. You raised me after all." A smile broke across Keith's face and the man turned his aged and tired eyes up to him. "I don't want you to think that I think any less of you."

Beck sat beside him and extended his hand across and onto his shoulder. He could feel his father's trembling body as the man took a large breath of air. "Thank you. Son." Keith released his breath and shut his eyes. "Your birth father was a bouncer at the nightclub your mother worked, and I was his lawyer. I've not seen or spoken to him in several years."

"Why not? Did you have a falling out?"

"No. We just let life take over. We had plans, a case we were working on, but things changed."

"What was that? What caused the change?"

"We…" Keith hunched forward, his shoulders dropping and his face falling. "We gave up." The man perched his left elbow on his knee and brushed his hand across his face. "When your mother passed away, we decided to stop pursuing that case."

"Would you mind talking about the case?" Keith shook his head, his gaze darkening for a split second. Beck withdrew his hand and gave his father a nod of respect. "You know the Vegas?" He inhaled and tapped his fingertips together between his knees. Keith moved his gaze sideways to him, blinking twice. "Trina married Jason Tyler. They have a daughter."

His father's gaze moved away and the man leaned back into the chair. "I see. Have you become familiar with Jason?"

"He's a friend, but he doesn't know what I know. Or well, he isn't aware of our connection, I think." He didn't see how Jason could be aware of it unless Jack told him. "I don't really know if Jason even knows his dad had that affair, but it honestly wouldn't surprise me if he did."

"Most likely he knows. I was about ready to help Jack deal with divorce and custody issues, but fortunately he and Pam were able to reconcile." Beck smiled proudly. His father exhaled and closed his eyes. "I don't know how accepting of you they would be. You popping up would definitely dredge up the past."

"I know. I would imagine it already has." There wasn't a chance Pam and Jack were unaware who their son was friends with; but whether or not they told Jason was another story altogether. "Maybe they don't want to wreck a potential friendship, but Jason doesn't seem like he's been told, and I'm almost certain they know who I am."

Hell, he'd even seen the couple at the wedding. He didn't talk to them then, but he'd taken to their occasional glancing at him from afar. Back then it didn't phase him enough to make him question it, but he understood now. Jason was likely the right place to start, but he needed to use caution. If he just told Jason outright, it could cause a bigger issue.

"How sure are you they haven't told their son?"

"Not too sure, but he's the type to react." At least it seemed that way. Jason could be patient too, but he was usually more reactive than quiet. "Even so, he's got a daughter now, so he's probably busy being a father."

"Probably." Keith let out a sigh, his finger slowly stroked his chin. "I don't have a problem with you talking to him, but if you do…please be careful. It's your right to know who they are, but the last thing I'd want is to inflict pain or drama in their lives."

"Same here. I'll be careful."

After talking to his father, Beck made his way to the apartment where Jason and Trina lived. He sat anxiously on the couch, his hands fumbling over one another as he watched Jason cradle his infant daughter in his lap.

The baby cooed happily, waving her arms in the air and laughing at her father's playful expressions. "Where's the wife today?" Beck cracked a smile and Jason looked over.

"Trina's at the college café, _In House_ , getting some studying done before class." Beck nodded and folded his hands along his chest. He looked to baby Rachel and chuckled silently as he recalled the memory of Jade discovering Trina's conception. It was something Jade would never live down, and also something he hoped neither of them would see if _she_ wound up conceiving. "You don't come over very often, what brings you here?"

"Well, it's not easy to say…I would have preferred the both of you here, but not everything goes exactly as planned." Jason's right eyebrow rose and he settled Rachel onto her bouncing cradle. Beck ran his hand over the back of his neck and gazed out the apartment window for a second. "Do you have any water?"

"Sure, let me grab some from the fridge." Jason got up and moved into the next room. Beck looked at the seat Rachel was in and started to smile as a grin spread across the child's face. Rachel slapped the circular tray happily, knocking off one of the small toys.

"Here you go." He grabbed the toy and set it back on the tray, holding his smile as the child grabbed it. Rachel looked up at him with big eyes, causing his heart to swell. "Aw, look at you, all happy and carefree." His eyes drifted up to the kitchen doorway, then back. He stuck out his tongue, making a goofy face that cause the baby to laugh.

The playful exchange continued until he noticed Jason watching with amusement. Beck straightened himself and cleared his throat as Jason handed him a bottle of water. "Oh don't stop on my account." Jason took a seat and flashed him a smirk. "Seen any ghosts lately?"

"Very funny." Beck took a sip of the water, letting it cool and soothe his dry throat and cracked lips. "Can't see enough of them."

"Yeah. Trina still senses some things herself…but I think you said it's a bit different for her, right?"

"Yeah." Then it struck him, he could use his medium abilities to perhaps ease Jason into the realization of their connection. "I um, I spoke with my mother recently." Jason leaned forward, gently nudging a stuffed toy towards Rachel. His eyebrow lifted and the man let out a soft grunt. "She told me something, something that's kind of hard to bring up. Something that I don't know how you or anyone else will react."

Jason moved his eyes towards the corners, studying Beck for several silent seconds before leaning back. "Oh. I might have an idea." Beck's eyebrows closed together and he saw a new, somber expression come over Jason. "I could be wrong though, but who knows. What did your mother tell you?"

"You first." Beck moved his hand towards Jason. "What do you think she might have said?"

Jason seemed to hesitate, giving him an uncertain look for what felt like an eternity. "My parents told me something too. A while back. About you." Beck's eyebrows shot up and his lips formed an oval as Jason crossed his arms. "Trina knows too, let's just say she's just as surprised."

"Wait a sec, are you saying…you know-"

"That my father had an affair with a stripper when I was just almost four?" Beck's chest tightened and he held his breath, waiting as Jason let his daughter grab his fingers with her hand and tug playfully. "I know about the affair, I know how close it came to tearing my parents apart and how close that job came to doing the same. Dad never wanted to leave that job because he wanted to bring that company down, but mom didn't trust him working there for the longest time."

"Yeah…" Beck chewed his lower lip and turned his eyes downwards. "I assume you're telling me this because-"

"Because you're my brother. Maybe it's easier to think of you as Rachel's uncle, or even Trina's brother than my own." Jason sighed and Beck felt a brief pinch of pain within his chest. While Jason's words may hurt, he understood them well enough not to take offense. "Even Trina told me if it was easier to consider you her brother, then I should…"

"You're saying she considers me a brother?"

Jason chuckled once and shifted his gaze sideways. "Don't push your luck." Beck smiled. "I'll be honest, it took some getting used to, some time to accept; but I do accept it. I may not like how it came about, but that doesn't change the truth of the matter. You are my brother, from my dad's affair."

"I know it's got to be hard."

"Yeah." Jason clenched his teeth and shut his eyes. His head shook from side to side and his cheeks puffed out as he exhaled sharply. Rachel laughed at her father, causing a smile to sweep across his face. "I'll be honest, I can respect that my father cared enough about your mother. I knew about the affair as a kid, obviously, but I didn't know the details until a couple years ago…I didn't know dad was trying to save someone and didn't cheat on mom for any malicious reason. It's still a very hard pill to swallow."

"Have you forgiven him?"

"The part of me that has always been angry at him knows I need to let it go. I need to be a dad my own, and I won't make the same mistake he made." Beck frowned and Jason looked towards a photo on the wall, smiling gently. As Beck raised his gaze to it, a smile came over his face.

The picture was a professionally done photo of Jason standing behind Trina, his hands on her shoulders as she sat in a chair, cradling Rachel in her lap. "Such a beautiful family photo, Jason. You're a lucky man."

"More than anyone knows." Beck furrowed his brow and Jason sighed. "For the longest time I was afraid of being anything like my father. Trina knows more about some things in my past than even my parents do, so she could tell you, it hasn't been easy."

"I'm sorry."

"No, don't be." Jason sighed. "I rebelled a lot, mostly out of anger towards my dad. Mom forgave him a long time before I ever did, even though I was so young when the affair happened. I didn't realize the affair was a one-time thing, There was so much that was never explained to me."

"Like how you had a brother?"

"No, that was told to me." Jason swept his hand through his hair and chuckled. "That _you_ were my brother was not. They told me after the wedding, about two months. They sat me down with Trina and were afraid of how I might take it…which was why they wanted her to be there."

"She keep you calm?"

"Oh yeah, they were confident she'd keep me from going nuts." Jason laughed again, his husky tone seeming to echo in the air. "It took a minute to process. I don't know how I didn't punch my dad out then and there, or even you…I wanted to, wanted to throttle _someone_." Jason clenched his fists and chuckled. "Have you ever been so angry at someone that you could just about shoot first and ask questions later?"

"Yeah." Beck closed his eyes, thinking about Ross and about Trina's stalker ex. "Anger seems to be something both of us have in common."

"I guess we really are brothers then."

"Heh, remember Mitchell?" Jason raised an eyebrow and Beck scratched his hair. "Back when Jade scared the shit out of him outside your apartments, when he was going in to confront you and Trina, I went in there…never told Jade I was ready to kill him." Jason frowned and Beck cleared his throat. "We figured he entered the gate. If I saw him, I was going to run his ass over, I had the plan racing through my head. I even had my father's gun ready in the glove compartment, I was going to finish that asshole off then and there."

"I'm sure Jade would be glad you didn't."

"Yeah. The grim reaper even told her that would have happened if Mitchell got in. He didn't mention my name, but he said the guy would have died had she not stopped him."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't do that."

"Thanks." Beck clasped his hands and leaned forward, staring at the floor for a minute. "So how come you never told me you knew we were brothers? I'm surprised you even talked to me after the wedding."

"Figured you didn't know." Jason shrugged. "You were Trina's friend first too, and hell you and Jade pretty much saved her entire family; so it wasn't like I was going to forbid you from coming around. Took me some time to accept it, and I pretty much resigned myself to never discussing the matter unless something like this came about."

"Like this? Me bringing it up?"

"Yeah, you coming in the picture aware of the situation. I have to admit, it's kind of nice having a brother."

"Heh."

"Mom and Dad are doing okay. They only knew who you were when they saw your name on the guest list as Trina's friend. Not to mention, you resemble my dad a bit. Got your mom's hair and eyes though."

"How do you know that?"

"I've seen pictures." He shot Jason a suspicious look. Jason appeared deflective now, averting eye contact. "I know all about my dad's plan with your dad too. I'm more surprised I didn't put two and two together when I saw your name, or even when I met you, but maybe I just didn't want to."

"You know about the case?"

"Hell, I've even gone to the nightclub."

"What? Does Trina know this?"

Jason laughed. "Yes. Hell, even she's been there." Beck's jaw dropped and he shook his head. "She wanted to see what it was all about once I told her." Jason ran his hand behind his head and grunted. "Back when I was a teenager-I was tall for my age and looked older, it was easy to sneak into that nightclub."

"You did what?"

"Snuck in there. The owner didn't even seem like he cared really, and the bouncers were too busy flirting with the strippers to pay attention to a shitty fake ID card." Jason lowered his hand to his knee. "Dad would have killed me if he knew I went in there, but I was angry and wanted to find out what it was about the nightclub that caused my dad to cheat."

"It sounds like it wasn't the club itself, but the situation."

"Yeah, I didn't realize that at the time. Didn't care either." Jason's shoulders rose and his eyes seemed to grow dim. "Did you know I had my first taste of alcohol there? The bartender didn't care enough to study the ID. She just glanced at it, popped her gum and handed me a drink."

"I can't believe that place hasn't been investigated and shut down yet."

"Nobody seems to care. There were a lot of corrupt police officers going there too, even the police chief at the time; so I doubt anyone wanted to bring it down."

"Our dads did. Before mom died." He was still hung up on this new bit of detail given from Jason. It wasn't surprising, even he had his moments of darkness in the past-there were things even Jade didn't know much about. "I had my first taste of alcohol at a young age too. Dad was a wine enthusiast…"

"Seriously? Wine? From your dad?" Jason chuckled and swept a hand along his arm as though dusting it off. "Just that I could sneak into a nightclub and drink was enough for me. I had whiskey, I tasted vodka and gin…"

"My god." Beck leaned forward, intrigued and curious. "Did you ever get drunk? Did your dad ever pass find out? I thought he still worked there!"

"He did, but do you honestly think I was dumb enough to sneak into that place during one of his shifts?"

"Maybe?" Jason narrowed his eyes and Beck recoiled, nervous Jason might punch him in the face for the remark. "I mean you _were_ a teenager, getting drunk at an illegal nightclub."

"Yeah. That and an addiction to painkillers-I don't advise doing either." Beck nodded affirmatively and Jason sighed. "The funniest thing that ever happened, I was fourteen and got so shitfaced that two _police officers_ dragged me out of the nightclub and left me in the alley behind the place!"

"You've _got_ to be kidding!"

"Not kidding. It was the last time I ever went there, however…until I told Trina and she wanted to check it out, of course." Beck chuckled softly and watched Jason remove Rachel from her chair and carry her towards a small crib. "Dad was furious when he found out." Jason bent over the crib, kissing his tired daughter's forehead gently.

"How'd he find out?"

"From that experience. I was passed out the entire night, mom and dad actually called a missing person's report in." That made sense. Jason turned around and crossed his arms. "When Dad got to work, he was told that a kid was passed out behind the shop…I woke up with a headache, wanting to throw up everwhere, and seeing my father's disappointed and pissed off face staring down at me"

Beck cupped his hand over his mouth, stifling a laugh and wincing at the same time. Jason cracked a smile and walked forward. "Dad was so disappointed and angry, but surprisingly he didn't ground me. He said the hangover I was going to be going through was more than enough punishment."

"Damn, must have been a nasty one."

"Oh it was. I actually wished my dad had gone ahead and beat the shit out of me, but no, the hangover did that. He eventually told the other bouncers and the bartenders that if they saw me, they were to escort me away and call him."

"And they listened?"

"Hell yeah. He's head of security over there. They don't do anything without him hearing about it." Beck was amazed at the position Jack held, it was powerful and surprising as well. "You know, Dad has enough that if he and your dad were to pick up their case, I think they could easily shut that place down. Even I wish they would."

Jason paused, his eyes drifting towards the family photo on the wall. His gaze seemed to hold on for the longest time, turning from confidence to sorrow. Beck furrowed his brow and reached over, placing his hand onto Jason's shoulder. The moment contact was made, Jason flinched and his eyes fell onto Beck's hand.

"Everything okay?"

"Y-Yeah. There's something." Jason pulled back and dusted off his shoulder. "One of the reasons Trina wanted to check out the place so much, and another reason I kind of accepted my dad a bit more, because I understood."

"Yeah?"

"Trina wasn't the first girl I ever 'dated', maybe the first serious relationship and the first that might have been meaningful. Back in those days I was sneaking into the club, there was a girl…" Beck's eyes grew large and he was choked by an anxious feeling coming from his gut. "That club's illegal practices extended back so much, they had underage teenagers there and were able to lie about their ages…"

"Your dad knows about this? Could he lose his job?"

"He's not actually there anymore, he's retired. He could get in trouble for it, but I doubt it, but that's not really important right now."

"Right…go on…"

"Jenny. She was my age. A runaway." Beck felt a strange, cold sensation brush against him. The air grew chill and his eyes moved away from Jason for a minute. "You know, our daughter really has two namesakes. Trina wanted to call her Jennifer for Jenny, and Rachel for her grandmother…Rachel's really her middle name, but both of us prefer it as her first."

"Jenny was important to you? Enough that _Trina_ wanted to name her daughter after the girl?"

A sadness flickered in Jason's eyes, followed by a familiar look of guilt. "Jenny had a tragic life, and like my dad with your mom, I wanted to get her away from that place. Just, I didn't know how. I was young, I couldn't do anything."

"You could have told your dad."

"I didn't think he would have been able to do anything. He wasn't quite head of security yet…and I didn't want to get him killed either." Jason bowed his head and his fingers tightened around his shirt sleeves. "Jenny's parents were murdered by the owner of that place." A cold wind coursed through Beck's hair, causing him to take a deep breath.

A young girl appeared in the corner of the room, casting a shy and tearful expression. Beck's heart dropped when he saw what looked like blood gushing from the side of the teenager's head, matting her golden hair like glue.

"Jenny was the child of the owner's cousin." Jason scoffed. "The irony! She ran away to her, thinking her parent's cousin could help her." Beck blinked twice, shaking his head.

"Wait, wait, the owner is a _woman!"_

"Yeah. A very sadistic woman that knows how to sleep with the right legal people. You wouldn't be surprised, she's an ardent supporter of Planned Parenthood too."

"Ouch."

"Take a guess how many abortions they give to the girls at that club."

Jason's nostrils flared and his forehead tensed. "Jenny would come sit by me at the bar and we'd talk. She'd tell me all about her life and how much she wanted to escape, but was terrified and didn't know who to go to. On occasion we'd meet in secret when she wasn't there, we'd go out when she could get away from the woman without her controlling eye."

"What happened?"

"Since I never told my dad about her, after that experience in the alleyway I never was able to get back to her." Jason closed his eyes and started to shake his head.

"I finally asked my dad about her a couple years ago, and he told me she killed herself. Shot herself on the center stage after some asshole…" The inflection in Jason's voice tightened and he started to sneer. Beck swallowed hard and felt a violent tremor from within; but he never took his eyes off Jason. "Laura Raymond is the name of the owner, she allowed Jenny to be attacked because the girl refused a patron's sexual advances. Because she stood up for herself for once…"

"You and your dad were sure she wasn't murdered for it?"

"No. Dad said he watched the cameras after Jenny was found. She'd stolen a gun from one of the bouncers later that night and waited for everyone to leave."

Beck rose and walked over, placing a soft hand on Jason's shoulder. "Jason." His eyes drifted to the girl in the room and his heart clenched. "I'm so sorry." Jason closed his eyes and turned his head away. "You know, when Jade was in her coma. I beat myself up so much, I just knew it was my fault and if she died, I was ready to resign myself to being the reason…all that guilt, all that self-hate; but for me it would have been warranted."

"I could have done something. If I told Dad, maybe-just maybe she would have made it."

"If I ignored Ross, I would have kept driving and Jade wouldn't have come so close to death…but that turned into something good." Jason grunted and Beck gave a warm smile. "She did save your wife's entire family, after all."

"Yeah."

"Maybe something good can come out of what happened to Jenny, and to my mother." Jenny's ghost smiled openly and the girl's eyes lit up. "Let's talk to your dad. Let's get him back with my dad, and maybe we can convince them to go to Mr. Malone…"

"Trina's dad?"

"He could look into it. He could investigate Jenny's death, that and everything with my mom could start him on investigating that nightclub. Just think about it."

"He's in charge of a _homicide_ department…"

"Doesn't matter, he's in a powerful position that carries enough sway. He works with FBI people, schmoozes with FBI directors and big wigs of the criminal justice system. If anyone can bring that nightclub to its knees, it's him."

"Maybe…"

"Come on." Beck pat Jason's shoulder, holding his reassuring smile as Jason looked up at him. "Let's do it. 'Brother'." Jason coughed and Beck slid his mouth into a smirk. "Put Jenny's spirit to rest, put my mother's to rest. If nothing else, do it for them."

"Dad's been too nervous to bring forward anything because he never knew how far the corruption extended in the police force. The current police chief doesn't have anything to do with that club, as far as I know, but I don't know if that guy's even aware. Dad doesn't know either. He doesn't know who to trust."

"He can trust my dad and he can trust your wife's dads. Even if my dad's a washed up attorney, I happen to know a friend of mine whose father is a well-respected judge."

"Who's that?"

"Er…Robbie." Jason's eyes narrowed and he let out a husky sigh while mustering a deep and resentful scowl.

"The guy that dropped Trina on a stage? Seriously?"

"Robbie's _dad_ didn't do it."

Jason rolled his eyes and ran his hands along his shoulders, sighing heavily. "Fine, we'll talk to my dad. I don't know how he or mom are going to take to you though, so we might want to deal with that matter first…or second…whatever comes first."

* * *

So Beck and Jason make their first real connection as something beyond friends, let's see if they can grow as brothers and as friends. Other crucial things have come about as, so let's see if Beck and Jason can convince their dads and Gary to look into this illegal nightclub and help both Beck's mother and Jenny to cross over. What do you think of all this?


	4. Left Behind

The Medium

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 4 (Left Behind)

"Why do we have to be here?" Jade asked from behind Beck. He looked back to where the girls were walking, raising an eyebrow at them. Trina was beside her, cradling Rachel in her arms and walking directly behind Jason. Jade teased him with a smirk and Trina chuckled at her.

"As a show of support of course," Trina answered. She adjusted the snoozing child in her arms and looked to her husband with a playful smirk, watching as he shuffled his hand through his hair. "And, potential damage control." Jade started to laugh, so Beck shook his head and sighed. In the corner of his eyes he saw a flash of someone moving by.

His mother was hovering next to Trina, gazing happily at the snoozing infant in her arms. Jenny appeared as well, cooing over the child. Trina started to look uncomfortable, shivering and looking around her body. "I don't like having those sensations that ghosts might be around. I don't even know how that all works." Trina moved her lips in an oval and turned to Jade. "How do you and Beck cope with actually _seeing_ them? Are there ghosts here, or am I just feeling cold."

Jason rubbed his arm where Jenny brushed against him. His teeth chattered and he flicked his head over his shoulder. "I'm a bit cold too." Beck's lips curled into a smirk and Jade bowed her head.

"Well there's at least two ghosts cooing over little Rachel there," Jade replied casually, "One is Traci. You wanna know the other one?" Beck started to shake his head at her, but Trina answered without missing a beat.

"Is it Jennifer?" Jade's jaw dropped and Beck raised his eyebrows. "I mean it only makes sense. What does she need to move on? Does she want to know that Jason's okay? That he'll be happy and that I'll treat him right?"

Jenny shook her head and Beck craned his neck back. "You know what? I don't think I've asked her yet, she only recently appeared." He figured it was the same thing as his mother, wanting to see the shady nightclub exposed and put out of business, but it could also be coupled with the guilt Jason felt.

He stopped on the sidewalk towards the door to Jason's parents' house and turned to his brother. "Jason, do you still feel guilt over what happened to Jenny?"

Jenny's eyes widened and Trina pursed her lips as Jason stopped and turned to him. "Honestly, no. I've moved on with my life."

"It's okay if you do," Trina replied, "I don't have any issues with that. I understand." He closed his eyes and Beck watched as the man's hands closed into tight balls.

"It's not that I feel guilt still. I've learned to cope over the years, and I know nothing can change that past. It's anger I feel, anger towards that club, anger towards the owner." Trina nodded with understanding and Beck started to smile.

"We can do something now, by convincing our fathers to get back to working on that case. Then they can give what they have to Detective Malone."

"Will this help her move on? If she's hanging on because of me, I'm fine. I will be okay." Jason looked around the air, not seeing where Jenny was. Jenny placed a hand on his shoulder, causing him to shiver once more. She smiled sadly and made eye contact with Beck. "I do wish I could have done more back then, but I was powerless. I…do hope she can forgive me."

"I do," Jenny replied. She motioned her head to Jason, her eyes pleading with Beck. "Tell him. Tell him I hope he knows he wasn't powerless, that every day I was with him I felt hope…the same hope that I can see his wife feels. He doesn't have to do anything, he doesn't have to be anything special, just love his wife and daughter take care of them…"

Beck started to nod and Jason looked to him with an arched eyebrow. "She never blamed you, Jason." Jason's face softened and his eyes started to glisten. "She cared very deeply for you and says you weren't ever powerless to her. She loves how you are with Trina, and with Rachel." Jason chuckled and Trina reached out, taking his hand in hers. They leaned in close so that Rachel could press against her father.

"Really? She said that?"

"Just now," Jade remarked with a smile. "Right, Beck?"

"Yeah. She also wants you to know you don't have to be a big hero. Just be how you are, be there for your family and love them. That's all that matters, all you need to do."

Jason chuckled softly. "I think I can manage that." Jenny dropped her hand and Jason let out a large exhale. "Is that it?" He looked around, his eyes full of expectant hope. "Did she move on?" Beck looked at Jenny, curious why she was still here. Jason saw Beck's focused gaze and started to frown. "She's still here? I'm going to be okay."

Jenny walked forward, turning up her nose and throwing back her hair. "Well." The ghost's eyes lit up with a newfound fire and her lips curled into a wide smirk. "I want to see Laura Raymond burn. I want to see that club go away." Beck started to laugh, sweeping his hand through his hair.

"She wants to see the club put out of business, Jason."

"Oh. Well that make sense." They had to handle it delicately though, and watch Jenny closely. Beck could see the telltale signs of a ghost on the verge of becoming a vengeful spirit, and if she became that, she could very well corrupt and lose her soul. "Has she been reunited with her parents yet?"

Jenny's face fell and Beck felt a sharp pang in his chest. The parents were torn away from her, and visa-versa, then murdered. It was likely, if they were seeking out their little girl that they were wandering the earth looking for her. "I want nothing more to see them," Jenny answered, "I want nothing more to be with them…"

"It's her biggest wish." Traci floated alongside Beck, her voice startling him. "They were murdered because of her." Beck closed his eyes, his face tensing with concentration. The others looked at him worriedly and Jason spoke up.

"What's going on man? I thought we were here to talk to my parents?"

"Hold on a sec." Beck leaned his head back, listening now as Jenny spoke with a tearful and shaky voice.

"When Laura did what she did to me, turned me into a stripper and forced me to…to let sleazy old men touch me…I was so scared." Jenny started whimpering. She circled Beck. There was an inflection of anger mixed with the sorrow, and it concerned him so. "I sent a letter to them, asking them to forgive me for running away. I was scared. I'd done poorly in school and we had a lot of arguments, so I ran away…but I loved my momma and daddy, and I know they loved me."

"I see"

"So I sent them a letter. I told them what momma's cousin did to me, told them how I couldn't get away because she wouldn't let me away. I wanted them to save me, I wanted them to rescue me." Beck opened his eyes slowly and exchanged a mournful look with his girlfriend. Jenny's voice rose and the skies seemed to darken. "They came. They came and Laura killed them! She murdered them in cold blood."

"What did she do?"

"She…She poisoned my daddy and threw my momma in one of those rooms where momma was-momma was-" Jenny's voice trembled and Beck's forehead started to crinkle.

"It's okay, I get the picture."

"Momma was broken because of her! She begged and pleaded, I remember the other strippers saying how she was screaming for me before Laura shot her!" Beck flinched, visualizing the cruel murder. He couldn't have pictured anything nearly as gruesome.

When he looked to Trina, he could see how uncomfortable the girl was feeling-the stress on her face and the tremors in her body. Even Rachel was beginning to grow upset, whimpering. Jason looked from them to Beck, his eyes full of worry. "Beck, what's going on?"

"It's Jenny." Beck moved forward, extending a hand to Jenny and slowly placing it on her shoulder. "Jenny, it's going to be okay." Jenny glared into his eyes, her chest heaving. "I will find them, I promise. I will do everything in my power to reunite you with your mom and dad."

"Y-You will?" Jenny started to relax, her eyes softening and filling with tears. "You promise?"

"I will do my best. What you describe, what you say, it sounds like they want nothing more than to see you again. Their deaths were so violent that they are probably lost like you, wandering around…" He'd have to figure out where they might be. Usually a ghost was tied to a person or object they cherished in life, but sometimes violent deaths trapped a ghost to their location.

What this meant was that Jenny's mom was trapped at the nightclub, there was no doubt in Beck's mind that was where she was. Jenny's dad could be there, but he could be elsewhere.

"You need to trust me, and stay calm. Right now, you're affecting Jason's family." Jenny gasped and looked over abruptly.

"I don't want to hurt anyone. I'm sorry!" Beck glanced at the girls and Trina mustered an uncomfortable smile. It had to be strange to sit there and watch him talk to the air. "You can help me, though?"

"I will try, yes. I'll have some questions for you, but first I have to take care of something here."

"Talking to Mr. Tyler." Jenny smiled and nodded swiftly. "Of course." As her eyes lit up with recognition, Beck started to smile.

"You know him? Jack?"

"Of course. He was one of the good ones, always looked out for the girls and tried to lesson our circumstances by keeping Laura away whenever he could. I miss him. Most of the girls miss him…ever since he retired, things have just gotten worse."

"Worse? Because he's not there?"

"Yeah, nobody's there to stop Laura. It's like she's got free reign, like she's untouchable because no one cares. Some girls felt like he gave up…"

"I'm sure he didn't just give up. We'll talk to him, Jenny." Jenny grinned openly and started to dance in place. Beck turned to the others, each were staring as if wanting to know if he was finished. "Okay, let's go on inside."

"My dad's got a lot of ghosts wandering where the hell he is?" Jason smirked and Beck started to laugh.

"The girls of that club relied on him," Jade remarked in a hushed tone. She bowed her head and let her shoulders fall. "Jenny said when he left, it felt like he gave up on everyone, and things have gotten way worse." Jason took a deep breath and turned to the door.

"Then let's go inside and talk to my dad."

Approaching the door, Beck was startled by its opening up. A tall and broad-shouldered man stepped outside. He wore a beige cowboy hat that covered up his salt-and-pepper hair, a black denim jacket over a red t-shirt, and long blue jeans tucked into a pair of brown boots. His tired blue eyes focused past the bushy brown eyebrows. His nose was long and slender, with the tip like an arrow pointing at a thick greying goatee.

"Was wondering when you kids would come in." Jack's voice was rough and deep, with no signs of age showing. His eyes lifted until they settled in on the pair of ghosts that had accompanied Beck. "Right. So." He looked to Beck, his grizzlied face softening up a bit. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Making eye contact with the man, Beck felt a sense of bewilderment and a whirlwind of emotions which rendered him breathless. The man was like a mountain standing before him, his birth father, and now every single word he practiced before a mirror withered away; and the only thing he could think to say was the one thing he didn't want to say.

"I know I'm your son."

Jack's brow furrowed and Jason slowly raised his hand over his eyes and forehead. "Smooth," Jason muttered, "Real smooth."

* * *

Well, no one ever said nerves couldn't jumble up the mind. We've got a bit of info here, and so now comes the conversation with Jack. Hopefully they can put to rest the ghosts of the club too. Jenny's family suffered a huge tragedy, let's hope Beck can help them


	5. No Easy Task

The Medium

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 5 (No Easy Task)

"I always knew you'd come knocking at my door someday." Jack guided the group in with a sigh. He started to walk towards the living room, where Beck noticed he had a slight limp in his walk. The man took a seat in a small recliner, wincing softly. "I don't have the strength or mobility that I used to, sorry about that."

"It's okay." Beck made his way to the living room and looked towards the coffee table with a soft smile. There was a tray of porcelain white coffee mugs, six set up. "Looks like you were expecting company."

"Jason called ahead, said he was bringing everyone over. Pamela wanted to make some coffee and tea for anyone that wanted some." As if on cue, a short woman emerged from the kitchen. She had sandy brown hair up in curls and a gentle, but wrinkled face. In her hands were two large pots, one made of glass and the other of metal.

"I'll take some coffee." Beck nodded and took a seat on one of the black leather bar stools positioned in the living room. "Thank you very much." Pam set the two pots on a large center plate and filled a cup with the coffee. Jack watched her with a calm gaze, never taking his eyes off the flow of liquid.

"You're very welcome," Pam replied. She casually lifted the cup and handed it to him. "Do you like Columbian? It's 100% Columbian."

"That's my favorite." Pam grinned and Beck slowly sipped the drink.

"That is a good-hearted woman right there." Jack rubbed Pam's waist as she passed by and she gazed down at him with a smile. "Always thinking about everyone." Pam blushed and began dispensing drinks to the others. "Not a day goes by I don't think about how lucky I am she's still with me."

"Yeah…about that." He swallowed hard and peered down. "I um, I don't want to cause friction or anything. I just, I really want to know you a bit more."

"I'm glad you've taken an interest."

"The way my dad made it sound, I wasn't sure if you thought I'd ever find out."

Jack shrugged. "It was only a matter of time. I'm happy it's sooner than later. It's good to see you. I'm proud of how you've grown as well, Keith's done a good job raising you up…How is he doing these days?"

"He's been better, I guess, but then he's been worse too."

"Haven't we all?" Jack picked up his mug and raised it to his lips. The man inhaled and turned his weary gaze back to Beck. "Tell me about yourself. Your hobbies, your interests. I don't want you to think I was never interested…"

"I understand, you wanted me to be safe. What I don't know much about is what you were protecting me from. I would never have cared about who my mother was. I wouldn't have worried about you or how I was conceived."

Jack closed his eyes and exhaled softly. Jenny and Traci moved closer to Beck, both watching Jack. Everyone else remained quiet, seeing this as more his time to talk to his birth father. "Honestly we have a lifetime to get to know each other," Beck started with a slow tone. He was choosing his words carefully, since had a million questions for the man. "I really want to talk about you, but I came here to talk about something else first…"

Jack's brow furrowed and the man leaned back slowly. "Okay."

"I think reconnecting, getting to know each other, that should be done on our own time. Don't you agree?" He didn't really want to involve everyone on the whole reconnecting with his birth father, he preferred that to be in private. Fortunately, Jack agreed with a nod. "I really want to talk to you about the case you were working on."

"I see." He folded his arms and moved his ancient gaze sideways towards where Traci was standing. "I have since tried to move on with my life, put that behind me the best I could for my family."

Jenny crept up behind Beck and spoke so softly that she actually startled him. "Ask him why, Beck, ask him why he abandoned the girls and left them all to die." Jack shut his eyes and his shoulders sank down as a sigh rolled away from his lips. Beck glanced to Jenny with a frown and started to say something but she cut him off. "The girls were counting on him, some even started whispering that he might try and get rid of Laura, then he just…quit."

Beck raised a hand to his chin, stroking it softly while turning his gaze back to Jack. "So if I could ask, why…why did you and my dad back off?" Jack slowly opened his eyes. "Why did you-"

"Leave? It isn't as though I wanted to just give up…" Beck furrowed his brow. "That place is called _The Sin House_ for a reason. It just drains you physically, emotionally. It causes you to do things you wouldn't normally-destroys you."

"Well it's a strip club. I mean no offense, but-"

"It is more than that. It is evil. The minute you step in there, if you don't start feeling like shit, something's wrong. It transforms you, and if you're not strong enough, you might lose yourself. It is a hell-house led by someone that is about as inhuman as it gets." Jack removed his hat and lowered it down to his lap, his moustache bristled for a moment and his eyes seemed to darken. "Now I've done a lot of bad things throughout my life, things that I wish I had not. I've seen a lot of bad shit as well, things I don't understand, but that place? That takes the cake."

"But you can still do something. You can still take it down." Jack still appeared unconvinced, saying little as he stared through Beck. Jenny swept between them, huffing loudly and throwing out one arm.

"He doesn't want to," Jenny cried in anger. Jack raised an eyebrow and Beck looked over as Traci tried telling the girl to remain calm. "He's become a coward. He used to be strong, but no!"

Traci rushed over, placing a hand on Jenny's shoulder. "Jenny, please…" Jason and Trina exchanged confused looks, probably wondering why everyone was silent. Rachel's face started to twist, so Trina began to rock the child.

Jenny put her hands to her waist and glared at Jack. "He's left everyone from the girls to the bouncers and bartenders. Everyone he could have saved, all the lost souls people trapped there. Why? Why? He's never been selfish." Traci sighed, dropping her hand away from Jenny's shoulder. "What about my parents, or the people that woman murdered. If he never gave up, that place would have been shut down, so many people's lives would have been saved."

"Jenny, calm down please."

Traci started to reach for the girl, but Jenny swept her arm through the air, pushing Traci's hand away. "No." Her voice started to rise and tears welled up in her eyes. "My momma and Daddy would still be alive, I'd be with them. He gave up, he quit."

Beck wanted to say something to calm Jenny, but acknowledged being trapped in a predicament where neither Jack or Pam would understand if he just started talking to the air.

Jack grasped his knees firmly with his hand, bowing his head so the tip of his hat covered up his heavy gaze. "You may have noticed the limp I walk with, Beck?" Beck nodded slowly and the two ghosts in the room turned their attention towards the man's right leg. "I've gone through various struggles in my life, things that would damn near have killed me. Growing up as a teenager, I got involved with the wrong crowd, got into fights left and right-almost died a number times."

"Really?" He furrowed his brow and let his lips part as he considered Jack's words.

"I had a life I never wanted my son to live." Jack raised his head and motioned to Jason. "I fought hard on the streets, had to take care of myself. My father left us with nothing, and my mother was sickly the last few years of my teenage life…I dropped out of school to take care of her."

"Wow." His heart started to sink as he envisioned the hell his birth father must have lived. Growing up on the streets was no easy task, surely, but to think that he had to fend for himself. "How did you manage?"

"I did a lot of things that I was not proud of. Talked with my fists, got involved with drugs at one point. Face it, I was not exactly the best person." Pam walked to Jack's side and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. The man looked up at her with a smile and started to chuckle. "That all changed when I met my wife…her father and her brother hated me at first. Hell, her brother actually shot at me once!"

Jade dropped her jaw and Beck's eyes grew wide. "Wait, is this the same-"

"Oh yes," Jason replied, "Uncle Erwin."

"How did _that_ come about?"

"Yes, how?" Jenny sat down, much calmer than she was a moment ago, and now intrigued by this tale.

Jack crossed his arms, smirking deeply. "It wasn't intentional. I would sometimes sneak over in the middle of the night to visit Pam, and one night I guess I disturbed them-He thought I was a robber and shot at me."

Pam shook her head. "I gave Erwin a stern talking to after that."

"I turned my life around after that. Gave up the drugs, the alcohol-everything. I got into security, worked my way to being a bouncer at various nightclubs. Then I met her, Ms. Raymond…" Jack's face darkened and he let out a husky breath. "She wasn't so terrible at first, only seemed to care more about her money than anything else. She also made a habit of letting everyone know she was in charge, but she wasn't bad. She never acted out of malice, not at first."

"Really?" Jade asked suddenly, causing Beck to flinch as he wasn't expecting anyone else to say something. "She sounds so different."

"I don't know what it was, but that club changed everyone. Even her, she became more obsessed with money and power. When she realized letting her patrons do what they wanted meant getting more money, she started to do that-then attacked anyone that questioned her ethics. Things went from decent to bad, and then finally worse."

"Where you one of those people that complained?"

"Many times, but I also was smart enough never to threaten her or give her a reason to believe I might act out against her." Jack shifted uncomfortably, grunting as his eyelids closed over. "But that place, for the longest time I could feel it bringing out the worst in me. I got away from all the bad tendencies I had before, but I wasn't as strong as I could have been, and I slipped."

"He never hurt anyone," Traci whispered, "But as you know…cheated on Pam." Beck cleared his throat, not wanting to delve into that realm at the moment. He knew what was already said, but even still he didn't like the feeling of being the result of an affair.

"I almost lost everything because of that place. I stuck with it, though. Your mother was one of the first people where I knew I had to do something." Jack raised a hand to his forehead and swept his fingertips across his brow with a slow and quiet sigh. "In secret I began gathering evidence, working with Keith, I wasn't going to let that place stand any longer."

"Then why did you stop?" Jenny asked, but this time without her prior anger.

"I started throwing everything I could into that case, becoming so obsessed that I was distant from those closest to me. My wife, my son, my friends…even the very people I was trying to save at that club were noticing a change-I was letting anger take form, frustrated with Laura so much I was ready to throw it all away and just kill her at one point. So I had to take a step back, for myself and everyone else. I needed to refocus…"

"What was the turning point?" Beck asked. He wanted to know what it was that made him take a step back and realize what he was losing. Jack's gaze drifted towards Jason and his shoulders started to sink.

"When I realized that I had stopped paying attention entirely to my family. Pamela had stayed with me when she didn't have to, but I had become so obsessed with that place that I was on the verge of losing her and losing my son all over again."

"That's a tough pill to swallow, I think."

"Yeah. When I realized my son had been going to that nightclub, being served strong drinks and taking painkillers…" Jason looked down and Trina looked to him with a sorrowful look before placing her head on his shoulder. "He was becoming like me, in the worst way, how I was when I was young."

Jack shook his head, scoffing slightly. "When I saw him passed out behind the club, all I could do was panic. I thought for sure I'd lost him." Jack raised his hand, pointing outwards. "I will never forget being fifteen years old, overdosing on a combination of street drugs and liquor. They found me behind a small shop, and fortunately the person that found me was a nurse that managed to bring me back by the time the paramedics got there."

Beck fell silent, startled by Jack's tale. He exchanged a concerned look with Jade, who was flabbergasted by the news. "You _died?"_ Jack raised his eyebrows and started to nod.

"I've had a number of near death moments growing up, can't say I'm proud of that fact. But when I found my son back there, I knew I had to refocus my priorities. I never wanted to give up on those at the club, but I couldn't make that place my entire world."

Beck understood, but he knew Jack had to have enough to make a full case. "And Laura? Did she ever retaliate against you for anything?"

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot." Jack pat his right leg and grimaced. "One of my last few years there, the woman went into a rage because I finally did say something. I exploded on her, she turned right around, and I kid you not the look in her eyes was as if looking into the eyes of the devil. She grabbed a gun from her desk and fired off a couple rounds into my leg and my knee. I have no idea why she didn't finish the job right then and there, all I know is she got a phone call and rushed out of the office…one of the girls came in and called for help."

Beck could feel his blood running cold and looked to the others. Jade was silent, but her expression fearful while Jason and Pam were averting their own gazes as though recalling the event. Even Jenny had fallen silent.

"I went there once out of curiosity," Trina said softly, "I couldn't stand it. The feeling I got there, it was crushing, almost like I couldn't breathe." Trina shook herself. "There's something evil there, I just know it. The energy there is like an overwhelming sadness too, like a lifetime of pain."

"You would not be far off." Jack sighed. "I will talk to Keith, I will do what I can to bring that place down, but I won't go anywhere near that hellhole."

"That's fair," Beck replied. He wasn't going to ask that Jack go anywhere near the place either. "Everyone else agree with that?" The others nodded, and even Jenny seemed to agree it would be best for Jack to stay far away.

As for himself, he knew he was going to have to go there. There were bound tt to be a number of tormented souls there, including Jenny's own mother. It would be up to him to release them.

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Tell me your thoughts, your do you think of Laura so far, and what do you think Beck will find at this illicit place?


	6. Plagued by Death

The Medium

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

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Chapter 6 (Plagued by Death)

Beck stood alone in the parking lot of the strip club, both amazed and surprised Jade didn't want to join him considering what the place was. While Jade had been trying harder to be less jealous and upset, he would never have imagined her not breathing down his neck if he were to go to a strip club.

Then, she knew it was business and trusted that he had no interest in looking at the dancers; and she wasn't at all comfortable going into a place that was described by Trina and Jack as being a place of pure evil and depressive energy. Even Beck had to prepare himself, because there was no telling what he would encounter inside a place that frightened even Jade.

"Hello house of horrors," he breathed. The building appeared ancient, built on a concrete foundation and built with slabs of reddish brown bricks that were cracked and falling out. The center of the large building had canopy over the double doors that stretched out over a long, faded red carpet. Its steel support poles were chipped and stained, the red fabric over the canopy was torn, with its loose garments swaying gently in the wind.

The double doors had glossy windows with streaks stained on the panels and cracks all along the wood. The bouncer standing before the door was a ghastly figure with a grim expression and tired eyes. His calloused hands were folded over each other at his belt, and his pale face was coated in sweat.

"How is this place still in business?" Beck breathed in deep and took a step forward, pausing when he heard a hissing noise.

"Ah, this place." Beck jumped at the voice and flung around, his heartbeat skyrocketing when he saw the tall dark-skinned man standing behind him. "I know it well."

"Death." Beck narrowed his eyes, remembering how the grim reaper loved popping up unexpectedly around Jade. "I thought we talked about this habit you have of just suddenly appearing." Death smirked, his face growing bright with joyous expression.

"Yes, and I told you I would stop doing so if I wanted to." Beck sighed and turned back towards the club. "What? Not going to ask about my connection to the place? Not going to make a joke assumption about my playboy or lecherous habit?"

"To be perfectly honest, you don't seem the type. After hearing about the place, I think I can already guess your connection here." Death frowned and looked at the club.

"True. I've seen a lot of death here. Even lost souls that escaped this place might have returned here as a ghost."

"Why is that?"

"For some, it's the only connection to the world they have left. For others, there's just something that draws their spirit, feeding off them."

"Something _feeds_ off the ghosts' energies?"

"Something akin to that, I'm uncertain what. I'm only here to advise you to be careful, keep your guard up. There's something about this place…" Beck watched the man's foot slide back and his heart dropped to his stomach. If even the grim reaper had apprehensions about this place, then there was something seriously wrong here.

"I'll keep up my guard." Beck closed his hands up and his jaw tightened. "Have you spoken to Jade yet? She didn't want to come out here to investigate."

"Don't blame her one bit. You have to understand, if a sensory medium like Trina can feel so vastly uncomfortable just by the presence of whatever energy is in there…think about a full-fledged medium. You have a lot more to deal with than just simply sensations. You might step into a place and see it differently than anyone else."

"Like what?"

"Have you experienced waking nightmares yet?" Beck's mouth opened into an oval and he shook his head. Death raised a hand in front of his lips and cleared his throat. "That's essentially you either living through a spirit's last moments alive or observing them. Imagine stepping into the place Julius Cesar was murdered and watching him die, feeling the hot knife pushing into his body as though it were being shoved into yours."

"Holy…" His hair started to stand on end and he raised his hand over his mouth. "I really need to be careful then."

"You do. Take this building, for instance." Death swept his hand towards the building. "What do you see?"

"Run down old building that looks like it's ready to crumble."

"That means there's something seriously wrong within its walls. Because to the average human eye, it looks like it's in great shape, but because there's so much darkness within this place, to you it looks-"

"Dead. It looks like death…"

"Exactly. You see things differently than most, but that may only apply in specific areas where the energy there is so great. If you went to an area of London to a street where Jack the Ripper murdered his victims, you might see that street coated in blood."

His stomach churned and he could feel the sweat forming on his brow. It was startling to know what changes he'd be going through. "Eventually it becomes second nature, and it won't bother you so much."

"Does my perception of people change? Like the bouncer over there, how sickly he looks."

Death stroked his chin and studied the bouncer with narrow eyes. After a prolonged hum, he lowered his hand. "Nope, that man looks that way. Eventually you're going to be able to tell the difference between seeing something as it normally is or seeing something as it does not normally appear. Then you'll be able to control it, because once you realize it's all mental, you can push the image away."

"Sounds complicated."

"It is. At first. You'll get the hang of it, though. Every medium must learn to deal with that, and it's easier for some than others." It sounded as though it were a coping issue. "So, take a deep breath and go inside."

"Think the bouncer's going to stop me?"

"Doubtful, he hasn't paid any attention to the lone guy in a parking lot talking to himself." Beck narrowed his eyes and Death smirked. "Don't worry about the bouncer, he doesn't care. I've seen him let in anyone, never even cards them."

"Damn."

"Yeah, most of the souls you'll find here-living and dead-have lost a lot of hope. Some, even the will to live."

"Yeah…" He exhaled and ran his hand through his hair, his breath shuttering through his teeth. "Got any tips? Know about the history of this spot? Ancient burial ground, perhaps?"

"You wish it were that easy."

"Kinda do, but even that's not easy to deal with. Hearing about Laura kind of makes me miss Leroy." He shuddered and shook himself as Death started to smirk. "I wonder still, how's Jade? Have you been by to see her yet?"

"You're worrying too much about her, she is fine." Sighing, Beck knew he was right, but it was hard not to worry about her. "She would much rather be spending time with her friends, I believe." Death raised a hand, chuckling softly. "As a matter of fact, this is your tale to live now, she's done her part."

"I guess…"

"That, and, Trina's daughter appears to interest her more than strippers at the moment." Beck started to laugh. "Looks like you're going this one alone."

. "And you?"

"I'm busy, people are dying all the time." Death looked at his wristwatch, hovering a finger over it. "In fact, a tailgater on the freeway that is weaving in and out of traffic is about to slam on his breaks and swerve off a bridge." Beck raised an eyebrow as the man started to tap his foot. "In three, two…"

Then as quickly as he came, Death vanished in thin air. "Wonderful. I don't envy that job." He walked up to the bouncer and started to reach for his wallet, but stopped when the man opened up the door without batting an eye. With a careful step he entered the establishment, but to his amazement the bouncer remained unresponsive. "Okay then."

Once inside, Beck could hardly breathe from the smoke that laced the air. People stood around as far as the eye could see, some dancing and some shouting while others were just looking on idly. The place was overly crowded, but that was likely due to the presence of ghosts among the crowd.

The strippers here were entirely nude, each walking around the patrons at the club, sliding their hands along shoulders and down thighs. Some of the patrons would routinely smack the strippers on the thigh and others would grab their breasts as they walked. There seemed to be no limit to anything here, no rules whatsoever.

Beck could feel the eyes of some of the strippers upon him, so he quickly moved for the bar, seeing it as a safe area.

Nausea overwhelmed him as he walked, and for some odd reason he could smell the scent of fresh blood. It was so strong that he could almost taste it on his tongue; but there was nothing that indicated fresh death. However, there were plenty of ghosts about that were dripping with blood.

As he continued his walk and observation, he couldn't help but notice not all the ghosts were strippers. Some were bouncers, some were men and women that had worked here as servers or bartenders, some were patrons who may have perished here while others seemed entirely out of place-such as parents or relatives of those here.

"As they always say." He took a breath and took a seat at the bar. "Bartenders are a great source of information."

He saw a young woman behind the bar, wiping it down with a rag. She was well dressed in a black tube top and long jeans, her brown hair swept over her left shoulder and around her neck like a scarf. She had bright green eyes and a warm smile, much different than the faces he'd seen up to this point.

"Hey miss, you're the bartender here?" The woman looked to him in silence, retaining her smile as she gave a subtle nod. Behind her he saw another figure, one of a much older man with a round face and bushy white beard. He had strong blue eyes and a large build. In one hand was a glass and in the other was a rag he was using to clean. He wore a pair of faded and partially torn overalls with a red flannel shirt underneath. A corncob pipe hung from his lips, but no smoke came out.

The older man kept a watchful eye over the woman, protecting her. Down at the other end of the bar was another older man, but younger than the first. He had a dapper look to him. His hair was sleek and black, he wore a black fedora and a black suit and tie. The man also kept a protective eye on the girl.

Beck knew the difference between the living and the dead at this point, it was not hard to see these two men behind the bar were not among the living. "How can I help you?" The woman dropped a coaster in front of him. "What're you drinking?"

"Root beer." The woman's eyebrows rose and she quickly grabbed a glass and moved to the soda fountain. "Sorry, I'm just checking this place out."

"You seem a bit young. I would card you, but Laura doesn't like that." The woman rolled her eyes and handed him the soda. "Evidently it kicks out potential customers." She clearly wasn't happy with the way things were going here, but then he couldn't be surprised.

"You're not happy about it, so why not go elsewhere?" He grabbed his glass and the woman looked at him as if he were crazy, then laughed.

"Go somewhere else? No, I couldn't do that." The woman looked out at a stripper walking by. Beck turned his head, frowning at the stripper's lingering eyes. "I'm Emerald, by the way." Beck smiled at her and took a sip of his soda.

"Beck. Why are you attached to the place?"

"I practically grew up here." He raised an eyebrow and Emerald leaned forward, folding her forearms on top of the bar. There weren't many patrons at the bar, which Beck felt to be a good thing. "My granddad owned this place. I could never leave it." He nearly dropped his drink and jerked his head up, flicking his eyes out at the bartender.

"Your granddad owned it? Really? Before Laura?"

"You didn't hear it from me, but Laura's a bitch and a thief." Emerald pushed herself upright, glaring at a few passing patrons that were laughing about having just fucked a stripper in the back rooms. Emerald made a disgusted grunt and shook her head. "She turned this place into a shithole. It was _never_ this bad before."

"Was it always a strip club?"

"Nope." Emerald sniffed the air and looked up as both the older men turned their attention to Beck. "Grandpa opened the place as a corner bar in the early forties." A smile cracked at her lips and Beck noticed a twinkle in the eldest man's eyes. "He would serve hamburgers, hotdogs, all the all-american food you can find. His friends would come play pool, card games and the like…Then Dad took over and added on to it, making it more of a dance club and social spot for Momma back in the '70s."

It did sound like there was a lot of history, and perhaps a lot of love to the place. It was hard to imagine how it could have become such a violent place. "How'd that work out?"

"Oh you know, he just made it into a bigger bar." She raised her hands up and spread them out. "The size of it you see now? He designed it. Just look at the walls, the ceiling, everything…My Dad's handiwork." The dapper older man smiled with pride and Beck turned on his stool.

The ceiling was high, there was decorative crown molding all along the walls-but some areas of the wall were cracked and stained by smoke. Overall, it did look like it would have been a great place to be back in the day. "It was a dance club?"

"Partly." Emerald ran her hands along the oak wood bar, her eyes glistening as she studied the chipped surface. "This is part of the original bar right here. Grandpa built it by hand." She spoke with emotion, her voice cracking ever so slightly. "Honestly, they must be rolling over in their graves right now, seeing what it's turned into."

Beck studied the two men, keeping to himself that he could see them. "I'll bet…"

"I remember when I was just a little girl, running through the hallways, playing along the balconies." She laughed once and looked towards a large stage where one girl was performing a routine. "I remember when I was a teenager, I put on a talent show for my local school here. All my friends loved this place, and my Dad had no problem serving food to them-you know, they were too young to drink."

His stomach growled and he put his hand over his stomach. "Speaking of food." Emerald's face dropped and she grabbed a glossy menu. When he saw the men look away, their faces full of shame, Beck couldn't help but wonder what had changed. "Something different with the menu?"

"Yeah. I could make everything on our old menu by myself-Momma was our cook, and Grandma liked to help out once in a while. We had the best food this part of town, but now it's all been reduced to greasy slop."

"What happened, if you don't mind me asking? How did it go from a corner bar, to a hip social spot, to a seedy and-maybe-illegal strip club?"

 _"Maybe_ illegal?" The girl scoffed and threw her hair back. "Laura forces underage runaway to strip, allows closed door sex sessions with patrons who should know better, and covers it up." Emerald's eyes narrowed and she swept her hand out. "If this place were mine, it would be much different! It'd be how my daddy envisioned it, with the original breath of life my grandpa gave it. It wouldn't be this nonsense that Laura transformed it into."

"Talk like that, I'm surprised she hasn't retaliated, judging by what I've heard of her."

Emerald paused, pursing her lips and looking off to the side. "Yeah…So am I, to be honest. I don't usually get into all of this, it's just a weird feeling right now." A feeling that was likely brought on by the two men standing behind her now. He could see the anger and the grief in their eyes, and if anything, they were probably channeling some of their emotion through her.

As for how she could talk so freely without retaliation from Laura, he suspected she was being protected by the spirits of her father and grandfather-and if anything, the spirits of her mom and grandmother may be lingering about as well if they were no longer among the living.

The girl sighed. "Mrs. Raymond was a former employee of my father's. One of our managers. She saw things a little differently, wanted to turn it into a strip joint; but my dad refused and let her go."

"So what happened? How did she get this place?"

"As far as I know, she bought it out. My Dad always said it would go to me, but he died suddenly and the lawyers couldn't find a will…making it possible for her to buy the place and turn it to shit. I'm still here because I'm trying to preserve what little is left of my granddad's and dad's legacy."

"They couldn't find a will?"

"There was one," spoke the well-dressed man finally. He crossed his arms and sneered. "I don't know how the lawyers lost it. I think it has something to do with Laura. I'm sure of it ."

"Emerald, do you think maybe Laura did something?"

"Do I? I'm confident. I just wish I could fucking prove it…" Emerald was surprisingly strong and radiant for someone that had been working here, but there was no denying she had help. Emerald looked off and growled. "There she is now."

"What?" Beck turned around and saw a woman walking through the crowds. She was dressed in a stunning blue blazer and wore long blue slacks, but to his astonishment she was incredibly short. Her hair was wrapped around her head to form a bun in the back and her eyes were sharp like a dragon's. "I-I can honestly say I expected someone a bit taller."

"She's five foot four, how tall were you expecting?"

"Much taller." Laura stopped and her shadowy gaze fell to a stripper that was huddled in a corner, weeping into her hands.

"What are you sitting on the job for?" Laura asked cruelly. The girl continued to weep until Laura reached down and yanked her up by the hair. "I asked what you're sitting down for!" Emerald growled and started to lunge, but stopped when the well-dressed man raised a hand. Beck furrowed his brow, curious because it seemed evident to him that she couldn't see the ghosts of her dad or granddad next to her.

"I can't do this anymore," the stripper cried, "It hurts so much, and I want to go home!"

"This _is_ your home now. You made the decision when you decided to come here. Live with your consequences!"

Beck leaned over, keeping his voice at a whisper. "Was Laura always so aggressive?"

"Not always," Emerald whispered, "She actually was far more pleasant to be around when she worked for my dad. Even after she was fired, she was never so horrible." Emerald crossed her arms and scoffed. "I can't help but to want to help all these girls here, to get them out of here; but it's out of my reach. I can't do anything but watch…Every time I feel like confronting Laura, I stop-something inside me just says it's not worth it."

"Yeah…" Beck watched Laura depart, part of him wondering what he could learn about the woman. For a second he caught a glimpse of her shadow reflecting on the wall, but it was strange. It looked like it had a much broader and larger build, and two backwards-curved horns that rose up from the head. It moved as Laura moved, its mouth opening whenever Laura opened her mouth.

Beck ignored it for now, because as quickly as it flashed on the wall, it vanished. He couldn't be sure if it was a part of Laura's shadow or a part of something else in the vicinity.

One thing he was certain of, if this club's rightful owner was Emerald, he would have to find a way to help her. Certainly helping her would also help her father and grandfather cross over, and it could very well aid in getting Laura out of this place.

There was still much to learn, so he would have to be as patient as possible and take it one step at a time. As he took another sip of his soda, he thought to offer up Detective Malone's name to the bartender, and along with that, Jack and Keith. If anything, she would aid their goal tremendously.

* * *

So what thoughts have you here? Any observations, any predictions? Do tell


	7. The Legacy and The Prison

The Medium

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

Chapter 7 (Legacy and Prison)

* * *

"You want to do what?" Emerald stared blankly at Beck from across the bar, so he stared back without repeating himself. He wanted a job at the place. Preferably security. He was aware his age made things difficult, but this was for research. "I mean maybe I can talk to Laura about getting you to work maintenance for a bit, but she wouldn't go for bouncer."

"I understand, though I don't see why age would stop her when already she's hiring underage workers for a job that _really_ shouldn't have underage workers." He jerked a thumb to the stripper working a pole on stage and watched a smirk form on Emerald's lips.

His eyes drifted down to an amulet that was hanging from her neck and he started to furrow his brow. The amulet was a fancy crescent shaped, emerald color gem with small specks of color glittering from within. "That is a very nice necklace, by the way." Emerald glanced down and lifted the necklace in her hand, smiling gently.

For a moment he thought the necklace glowed, whether it was reflection or his mind playing a trick on him. "Thanks. Grandma gave it to me when I was a little girl. You remember how I told you grandpa started opened a bar here?"

"Yeah."

"There's a little story to this necklace, grandma told me about." Beck took a sip of his new glass of soda as Emerald took the empty glass beside it and started to wash it out. "My family has always had success in this particular area, Grandma has a theory and says it involves this thing." Emerald walked back to Beck, giving a gentle sigh. "I don't really believe the legend all that much, part of me does, but overall I think it's a fantastic story."

Curiosity piqued, Beck set his glass down and leaned forward, studying the gem. "What's the story?" The two older men gazed at the gem, smiling bright as Emerald removed it from around her neck. She leaned forward, holding the gem carefully in the palm of her hand as she pushed it towards Beck.

"Grandma says our family has always lived in this spot, dating past even the original settlers. Dating back to one of the original Indian tribes in this area, and maybe further out than that." Beck raised his eyebrows and curled a finger over his lip. "One of our ancestors came across this trinket buried here, and soon found great success-becoming a tribal chief. Grandma always said over time, this amulet has brought peace, it's brought protection and happiness."

"Very nice."

"Yeah, I mean I believe you have to find your own happiness and that you can't get it from a simple object, but I won't deny I love the story behind this." Emerald returned it to her neck and cupped a hand over the gem. "Grandma gave it to me, like I said, when I was little, and told me that it would always grant me protection against evil."

"Another legend?"

"Yeah, but the funny thing is whether it was Grandma and Grandpa, Mom and Dad, or even their ancestors…this thing _has_ always been around when they made a success out of something." Emerald leaned forward, sliding her hands out along the bar. "I have it now, but look at this place. Look what it's become…"

"If it were yours, you'd change it? Get rid of the strip club?"

"I'd help all the girls here find their way, but yeah this wouldn't be a strip club. I'd return it to what it was once, into the vision Dad and grandpa had, with my own twist on it too. They had something they brought to put themselves into the place, and I'll do the same. If anything, I'd love to be able to bring my husband and children here."

"You're married?" He looked at her hand and frowned. "Why no ring?"

"Laura won't let me wear it. She says a married bartender has no place being here because bar patrons need to be able to feel like they can flirt and so forth. I don't allow it, however, but I keep the ring off just to appease her."

"Understandable."

"That being said, she apparently still sees some value of having the original owner's kid around as a manager-I have no clue why."

"Same reason she had my birth father as head of security, I suppose." Emerald's lips formed an oval and her eyebrows rose high. "The whole 'keep your enemies close' thing."

"Jack? Jack is your dad?"

"Yeah, birth father anyway…I only just found out about him." Emerald leaned over the bar, perching her elbow on the surface and curling a hand under her chin. She frowned at him and moved her eyes up and down, studying his appearance.

"I'm a little shocked I didn't see it, but yeah there's a little of him in you." She leaned back, patting her hand on the bar surface. "Tell you what, you're wanting to work here, I'll hire you. I've got full control of my bar at least, you can help me in the daytime when it's not busy. I get more focus on the bar during the daytime hours, you can clean up behind the bar and start learning the trade if you'd like."

Beck grinned wide and nodded, eager to take up the job. It could help him discover more about the place and the ghosts within it, then he could figure out how to save it. "Great. Also, between you and me, Jack is working on shutting down the strip club, getting it away from Laura."

"Okay. Then maybe if that happens I can buy this place back. If I can't find my dad's will, I can at least buy it. I'd take a hit in my savings just on that and remodeling, but it'd be worth it."

"Hey, anything to help the rightful owner." Beck extended his hand, smirking bright as he watched the smirk form on Emerald's face. "Because I'm helping my birth dad too, so I'm wanting to help you."

"Tell you what. You help me get my family's bar back, and you will always have a place to work here if you want." She shook his hand and nodded. "Just be aware, I only want you cleaning up-don't handle the alcohol until you're actually twenty-one. Okay?"

"Understood. By the way, my sister-well, semi adopted sister, now legitimate sister-in-law has a dad that's working on a case against Laura…If you were willing to talk to him, maybe you can provide some witness accounts, evidence and whatnot."

"I'll give it a thought."

"Great! Detective Gary Malone, you'll want to look him up. Maybe provide him with a list of underage strippers being forced to work here and whatnot. I know a lot of people would be put out of work and all, but you'll be that much closer to getting your family's life back."

"Yeah, I'd have to let go of a lot of people an anyway. I have a few people I'd consider keeping, people I know are loyal to me and want a change. Hell, our head chef would rather cook the menu options my family had rather than the slop we're forced to serve now."

"Thanks." Another customer sat down, so Emerald went to tend to the customer. Behind Beck, a stripper walked up to him. She was remarkably thin, had a youthful face and long blonde hair. Beck glanced over his shoulder and frowned at the girl. Emerald's father and grandfather watched him, looking at the girl as calmly as possible. "Hello."

"Hi." Her chest heaved and her lips trembled, tugging at the strands of strawberry blonde hair glued to her lips. She had a cold sweat running down her body and pale eyes. "Help me. Help us."

With Emerald at the other end of the bar and no one within earshot, Beck bowed his head and focused his stare on the glass. His voice lowered to a whisper and he released a soft sigh. "How can I help?"

"We're trapped, all of us. We can't leave."

"How about Emerald's family?"

"They're bound to her, not this place, they are free to go anywhere they like, but we are bound here. We can't leave, we can't cross over. Emerald's grandma can't even come in here, there's too much pain."

"Emerald's grandmother."

"She's an angel," answered Emerald's father. Beck flinched at the sound of the man's voice, not expecting him to speak up. "Like that amulet, like her grandfather and myself, that woman watches over Emerald…but she can't step foot in this place."

"A guardian angel. It makes sense a place with as much Theevil energy as this would keep a guardian spirit at bay. That's what the amulet is for, isn't it?"

"Emerald may not believe the legend that gem has, but it protects her. With as much as every ancestor that held it can, they watch over her. They watch over this land."

"I'm going to help your daughter and your family to reclaim this shop." Beck closed his eyes for a minute, then returned his attention to the stripper. "And I'm going to help you, and all the spirits trapped in this place to cross over."

"That's going to be a challenge." Beck turned his eyes towards the man and furrowed his brow. "They can't cross over, something is keeping them from doing it. Just like something is draining the energy and life from the living that work here, the ghosts trapped here are being drained as well. When they say they cannot leave, they truly cannot leave."

"My mother has left this club multiple times, as has a girl by the name of Jenny."

"They have attachments elsewhere." The man crossed his arms and shook his head. "If your father is Jack, then I am sure I know who your mother is-she is one of the few strippers that managed to escape this hellhole. She died elsewhere, and lived enough of a life to have attachments elsewhere."

"True. What about Jenny? She killed herself here, her parents were murdered here."

"Is there anyone she might have attached herself to beforehand?"

"Yes. Jack and his son, Jason."

"Then she is able to leave this club. Many do not have outside attachments, and something here-something very evil-traps them here. Eventually all of the ghosts here will be gone, but they won't cross over."

"You mean like oblivion of some sort?" His stomach tightened as he remembered Leroy's punishment. "It's forbidden for a ghost to send another ghost that way, and only the grim reaper can destroy a ghost."

"Not necessarily _only_ , you just acknowledged other ghosts can do it. That means other powers are able to…something absorbs the energy and essence of the spirits trapped here, of the dead and the iving. Whatever energy doing this cannot touch my daughter, she's been safeguarded by her ancestors and by us." He pointed to him and to his father. "She is protected, but for how long?"

"That's a very good question…" He took a deep breath and sighed. "Do you know anything about Jenny's parents, by the way?"

"I do."

"Laura murdered them?"

"Yes. Her mother's trapped in back halls of the club, a chained spirit. Her father is one of those that can leave the club, but he always comes back. Moving freely between here and the cemetery, forever searching for his daughter."

"Can they cross over?"

"Like the others, they cannot."

"Shit…" He needed to figure this out, and fortunately the more he was here the more he'd be able to research. Still, he acknowledged the need to be careful. He had to be strong, to prevent whatever force present from destroying him as well. It was going to be an uphill battle, that much was certain, but he wasn't going to give up anytime soon.

* * *

So what are your thoughts here? I


	8. Time Alone

The Medium

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 8 (Time Alone)

"So." Jade sat across from Beck at the table, they were having dinner at a popular diner and Beck was telling her what transpired regarding his trip at the strip club. "You're sure you want to do this, Beck?" Jade stirred her soup absently, studying him closely. "The men in your family don't have the best of experiences with that place. Women in your family, not much better."

"I think I'll be okay." It nearly destroyed both his fathers, though not so badly on Keith's part, and it was all but the cause of his mother's death. "I'll be strong." He knew Jade didn't really want to get involved, but was grateful she at least took some interest in what he was doing by asking how things went. "Besides, I'll work in the daytime when they're just opening up, so that isn't as bad."

"As long as you know what you're getting into. I mean, I don't want anything bad to happen." Jade's brow tensed and she glanced off to the side, her lower lip curling in beneath her teeth. "I know I told you I didn't want to be involved, but…" She flicked her gaze back to him and her eyebrows rose. "If there's anything I can help with, let me know. Depending on what it is."

He smiled and quickly nodded. "I will." His mind drifted to the amulet Emerald had been wearing and he wondered if there was anything truly unique about it. Of course it was special, the ghosts confirmed that much, but how special he didn't know. He needed to know _what_ the object was, and if there were more of this particular object.

Jade raised a spoonful of soup to her lips and closed her eyes as she slurped up the food. He tilted his head, watching her close as he began to ponder whether or not she might be of some help. "Jade, that lady, Emerald, has this weird artifact." Jade's eyes opened slightly and she raised her gaze up to him. "It maybe has some sort of weird voodoo magic qualities or something. Are you still into stuff like that?"

She used to love all things that dealt with supernatural and magical properties, having studied up on techniques used by priestesses and shaman of ancient times. "I mean, I haven't looked into stuff like that in a while, but I can try and find out about something like that if you need me to."

"Well, she has this green gem that was found on her ancestor's land long ago." Jade flattened her lips and leaned forward, her brow furrowing. "Ever since it has protected that spot of land and given the owner a sense of luck, if you will. Like, her ancestor became a tribal chieftain, one ancestor had a family farm on that land and always had crops."

He paused for a breath, watching as Jade leaned back, her head gently nodding and her eyes squinting in thought. "Then the club itself…built as a popular bar by her grandfather and turned into an incredibly popular dance club by her father."

"Okay."

"Now Emerald wears the gem, and it protects her from whatever evil is going on there. Does any of this ring a bell at all?"

"I mean, kind of, but I really have to look it up. I've heard of something like that before, where ancient priests, shaman and so on thought to create an item like an amulet and they would recite some incantation that they felt would provide prosperity and stuff, but most often that was designed to bring protection usually in times of combat or crisis."

He wasn't expecting that response, but surprising as it was it made sense. Emerald's tales of her ancestors that had the gem also varied from individual success to the success of the land itself. He wondered why there were such differences, and questioned if it had to do with where the gem was located.

"Is there anything else you're wondering about?"

"Sure." Beck crossed crossed his arms for a second, then raised a hand to his chin. "Laura Raymond herself. She has this weird ass personality change where she was a good, pleasant person, then all of a sudden she becomes this cruel and spiteful figure…she once worked for Emerald's father and was fired, that was when the change started happening-but according to Jack, she wasn't completely different just yet."

"Okay, I'm going to need a bit more than that."

"I'll have to observe her, see if I can find anything else." He recalled the shadow he saw on the wall behind her, then snapped his fingers, gasping out. "The shadow!" Jade hummed sharply and Beck cleared his throat. "When I was there, I saw her walking by after confronting one of her girls. Then in the passing light, it was only a glimpse, her shadow hit the wall-only, it wasn't her shadow."

"It wasn't her? What do you mean?"

"I mean it looked like this weird demonic thing. A being with large limbs and sharp claws, razor-sharp teeth, and long curved horns." Jade's eyes bulged and widened, giving Beck a moment of hesitation. "What do you think it was?"

"Honestly it _sounds_ like demonic possession. I'm not sure, since I don't know everything yet, but Beck…" Her brow wrinkled and she reached over, placing a hand over his. "Beck, please be careful over there. Please. I don't even want you over there, really, but I know you feel like this is something you have to do."

"I have to, Jade. For Jenny and her parent, Emerald and her family, for my mother, for everyone at that place."

"I know, but I'm scared for you." Jade let out a sharp exhale and closed her eyes. "We almost lost each other once." He recognized the worry, after all he had the same fear and concern when Jade had her near-death experience.

Beck moved from his spot and sat beside Jade, draping an arm around her back and pulling her in close. She placed her head onto his shoulder and he gently kissed her temple. "I'll be safe, Jade. I know you're worried."

"Is this how it felt for you?"

"Close to it." He played at a smirk as Jade looked up at him, her lower lip trembling. "Except I'm still alive at this point." She chuckled once and leaned forward, kissing his chin.

"Let's keep it that way, Beckett."

"No worries, Jade." He had to comfort her somehow, and he had just the idea to do so. With a smile, he squeezed her hand and gazed into her eyes. "So let's talk about something different. You've been hanging out with Trina a lot lately, spent all day yesterday with her and her new baby. Did you have fun?"

"Oh yeah! We went to a carnival and took Rachel to a kid's play place to let her play with the other kids." Jade's eyes lit up and she started to laugh. "One of the babies there took a toy Rachel was playing with, and you know what she did?" Beck smiled from ear to ear, watching his girlfriend wipe away a joyful tear. "She grabbed swatted the kid on the head and grabbed her toy back. It was so adorable!"

As Jade continued to talk about her day with Trina and Rachel, Beck felt a greater sense of emotion swelling in his heart. Jade was animated, she was excited and happy; and Beck loved seeing her this way. She'd never been so happy in all her life, it was as though her own personal experience with death gave her a new lease on life.

"Maybe one day you'd like a little kid of your own, huh Jade?"

Jade stopped, her cheeks growing red. "Um well, yeah, but later. I mean, once we're both ready." Beck raised his eyebrows and his smile grew.

"Oh? 'We're', so you're fully certain it'll be me?" He teased her and her blush grew hotter.

"Who else? Do you see anyone else I'd rather be with?" She was getting flustered now. He hugged her tight and gently kissed her lips, causing her body to relax and a sigh to drift away from her. "I love you…" She wrapped her arms around him and set her head against his chest.

"And I love you."

Jade rubbed her head against his chest and fluffed the hem of his shirt between her fingers. "I'd ask if you want to go somewhere more private, but that would be a moot point." Beck raised his eyes up, chuckling at the ghosts in the diner that were watching them as if their lives were a movie for them to enjoy.

"Privacy? What privacy." Hell, these ghosts were worse than a pet at times; it was often amusing to see Traci or Jenny appear and start ushering ghosts away as though they were the ghost police. "Voyeuristic ghosts think we can't see them, but hey, that's what karma's all about, right?" He smirked teasingly and Jade's face burned bright red.

"I thought we agreed never to mention that moment again."

"Oh no dear." He laughed and Jade playfully smacked his chest. "You are _never_ going to live that moment down."

"Just wait. One day we'll be going at it and you'll see a white orb coming down from the sky." He froze and slowly turned his head away, chuckling nervously.

"Much as I'd love that, I really hope I don't see that unless we've planned for it. You know, when the time is right."

"Speak for yourself! Most pregnancies are unplanned." Jade smirked at him and started wagging her eyebrows. His face fell flat and he let out a despairing sigh. "But I digress, it was fun spending time with your sister-in-law."

"How are those words coming from your mouth, huh?"

"You weren't asleep last year."

"Oh I am well aware." He wrapped his arms more securely around her waist, turning fully towards her. "Let's not forget, I almost lost you _twice_ last year."

"Hey, I had to save my little sister."

"I know." He let out an exhale as his heart filled with a sense of pride. "You did the right thing. I will always think that. How are they, your family?"

"Good. Raven's gotten a lot more protective of Nick. I've been getting along more with Nancy…I think she's perfect for my dad, keeps him on his feet and I don't think I've ever seen him smile as much."

"I'm glad things are going so well for them, and for you."

"You too. It feels like we don't get a lot of moments like this anymore, but that's okay. I'm just glad you've stopped babying me."

"I'm trying not to be so overprotective. I don't want to end up pushing you away."

"You won't." By now most of the ghosts in the diner had dispersed, leaving them to enjoy their moment in peace; but one remained watching with a patient look in his eyes. He was a tall, well-built military man with a shaved head and heavy gaze.

Beck pulled away from Jade and looked at the ghost, who opened his eyes wider when he realized Beck was acknowledging him. "Don't stop on my account, sir."

"You're clearly waiting for me." He tried not to sound annoyed, and watched as Jade moved back to her food. She didn't look upset because she understood, but he hated to do this to her. "I still can't believe how many ghosts are actually aware I can see them…"

"If it's any consolation, the good you do reaches others. Reputation is by word of mouth, after all." Beck nodded as the military man stepped forward. Upon closer inspection he saw the officer had a bullet wound in the side just under his armpit. "You might be familiar with me, or with my family. My name is Rex Shapiro." Jade lifted her eyes up and Beck's jaw dropped.

"Yes." They'd not spoken much with Robbie, Andre or Cat lately since the three were off doing their own things; but they did try and maintain contact. "How's Robbie?"

"Not well. That's why I'm here, I was hoping you could talk to him for me. I wanted to give him some words of encouragement, he's my little brother."

* * *

So Jade may be able to provide some help, nice to see the two enjoying some time together. What are your thoughts on everything?


	9. Waking Nightmare

The Medium

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 9 (Waking Nightmares)

Robbie hadn't been doing well for quite some time, his depression was something everyone had been aware of. The only problem was he never wanted to talk about it, and he kept withdrawing as though isolation was his security.

His feelings of guilt only worsened after what happened to Trina, and Beck hoped getting the guy to therapy would help. At the very least, he felt like the loss of his brother was what was causing all the pain. The fact that he'd been so attached to a puppet given to him by Rex when he was so young was one clue.

"Neither of us had real closure," Rex said while following Beck to Robbie's home. "I left without being able to give him a proper goodbye."

"I remember that." When Rex went to war, Robbie was very young and didn't want to accept that his brother was going overseas. He ended up running away, thinking maybe that would stop his brother from leaving, so he wound up not being able to see his brother off. The last time he ever saw his brother, he was angry and saying he how he hated his brother for leaving and that he hated the military for taking him away.

Things changed a lot over the years, but that old hurt clung tightly to Robbie and he carried it around like he did that puppet-as though the puppet were his own brother.

"You can't cross over until you've had that closure, until you two have had a proper goodbye." This one was easy, but it was going to be hard emotionally. Rex nodded, gazing at the house with a tight-lipped expression. "Robbie's trying to do better, I think. Some things are still a bit hard for him, but he's definitely improving."

"Yeah…" Rex moved in front of Beck and turned towards him, giving a subtle but affirmative nod. "Look, Beck, I appreciate you taking the time to help me out." Beck smiled gently as the ghost raised a hand. "I know you and Robbie aren't completely on the best terms right now, but-"

"He is still a friend, I would want to do what I could."

"I can respect that."

Rex lowered his hand to Beck's shoulder, and the instant his hand made contact, Beck felt a sudden surge through his body as though his soul had just been ripped out.

All around him he saw smoke and desert-like landscapes. The smell of blood and sulfur was rich, and hot sweat streamed down his face and drenched his clothing. "What?" He gasped and looked down when he felt blood pulsing through his fingers.

His hand was clutching a wound just under his armpit, he was falling to his knees and breathing heavily. Bullets flew through the air, filled with shouts and screams. "B-Brian!" He screamed the name of a man he did not know and turned his eyes to see a fellow soldier prepared to run, looking back at him with a frown. He extended a hand, gasping as blood tricked down his chin. "Brian, help me."

"I-I'm sorry Rex," the soldier answered. There was a noticeable fear in the man's eyes, and his entire body shook with each gunshot that filled the sky. Somehow he knew what had occurred, there was an ambush on the trail they were following. He'd been shot, and the man that was supposedly his friend and brother in arms was terrified. Brian had not been in the military for long, and he'd taken the young man under his wing, but he'd always felt he wasn't cut out for battle. "I'm not ready to die!"

"Brian, please." He collapsed to the ground, heaving as his skin grew pale and sticky. He was dying, there was no question about it. His lips were dry and parched, and his lungs felt as though they were going to explode at any moment. "I need to get a message…to my brother back home. Brian." He looked up, but the soldier was gone. His hands trembled tears fell from his eyes. "Brian."

Beck shook his head, groaning at the intense throbbing coming from within. He rubbed his eye with his wrist and looked up to see the suburban surrounding. He was amazed to be alive, and strangely, he'd never felt so alive as this.

He had to assume he'd experienced the 'waking nightmare' that Death spoke of, and it was as horrifying as he could possibly imagine. Coated in sweat, his eyes darted back and forth as he felt of himself just to make sure he wasn't injured. Never had anything felt so real; it was the worst feeling imaginable. "Oh shit…"

"Are you alright?" Rex withdrew his hand, raising an eyebrow at him. Beck trembled, checking his hands before his face. "You fainted for a sec there." Lowering his hands, he attempted to steady his breathing before turning to the ghost.

"I just saw-" He furrowed his brow and shook his head. "No. I felt, experienced your death." Rex's eyebrows went up and Beck folded his arms across his stomach. "It was so real to me, like _I_ was the one dying." He paused, blinking several times. "How can you not be angrier at Brian?"

Rex shrugged. "Not my focus. Besides, he deserted and was penalized for it, poor kid. My age, but dying makes you older in a way…I know he was only afraid and overwhelmed." Rex stroked his chin and leaned back a bit. "Did you feel any malice at all when you saw him?"

"No…" Brian displayed only fear. "He was terrified."

"I won't judge a man's actions when they were based on panic. There was nothing he could have done for me anyway, I was already dead."

"I felt that, yeah."

"People are so quick to judge a soldier for leaving behind a fellow solider, but they never think about how someone might feel or react in an instant. They want to assume that all would be so fully brave and stand strong in such a situation; and most would."

"But you would have preferred he flee?"

"Yeah. Live his own life. He couldn't have saved me out there, and most likely would have died trying."

It made sense to him, though he still wasn't sure how well he agreed. If anything, he supposed his own feelings were exactly what Rex was speaking about in regards to the common expectation of a soldier on the battlefield.

As he was about to continue their conversation, he started to feel another painful churning in his stomach. This time, he looked around to see if any ghosts had touched him; but he couldn't see any.

The landscape started to shift before his eyes and he let out a loud groan as he found himself transported into a bedroom via another waking nightmare. "No." The stabbing sensation in his gut was growing far more intense and he wanted to find a toilet to throw up in before spewing his guts out on the floor. "Not twice in a row. God."

Then as quickly as it came, it was replaced by an eerie calm. No longer in control of his body, he waited, watching as he approached a familiar dresser. His eyes darted about the room and a heaviness sank in. "Wait, no, this is Robbie's bedroom." His heart pounded a mile a minute and he tried to scream himself awake, but to no avail.

Soon the vision shifted, and he was watching his friend reach into the top drawer of his dresser to pull out an object wrapped in a washcloth. "Robbie, no…" Then he was left hovering in the bedroom as his friend exited the room. He clenched his eyes shut and an overwhelming headache came over him. "Please no. Please, take me back."

He tried to scream again, straining every bit of power he could until the scene exploded and he found himself standing beside Rex once more. His sweaty hands shook and his wide eyes danced around in fear. "Robbie!"

Without trying to catch his breath or footing, he bolted for the front door. No sooner than reaching the porch, did Robbie appear. Dropping to his knees, he hunched over and planted his palms on the ground before his friend's feet. Tears fell from his eyes as his entire body shook with grief.

"Hey Beck…" Robbie knelt beside him. "Beck, it's okay." He looked up to his friend with a whimper.

"It didn't have to be this way. Robbie, I-I would have helped you."

"I know." Robbie smiled softly and gently pat him on the back. "But for me, it's the end of a lifelong struggle. This was the only way I could see. Don't blame yourself. All I ever wanted was to see my brother again, to be with him." Robbie glanced up as Rex made his approach, when their eyes connected, it was as though serenity fell around them like a shroud. "Rex…"

"Robbie." Rex took a deep breath, his eyes glistening with moisture. "I am so sorry." Robbie rose to his feet and threw his arms around his brother. Beck watched the pair, still grieving, yet feeling a bit of joy in the reunion of the brothers. "I never wanted you to blame yourself for my leaving. I had to go, it was all me."

Rex leaned back, grasping his brother's arms and looking into his eyes. "I never wanted this for you, Robbie." Robbie closed his eyes and let his shoulders fall.

"I never fit in anywhere, Rex. I could never stop thinking about you, never stopped pretending that damn puppet was you. I've done a lot of things that I regret. The only thing I've ever wanted was to see you again." Robbie turned his gaze back to his brother's eyes.

Beck raised a hand to his arm and looked out at the area surrounding them, curious where Death was currently. The lack of his presence could mean one of two things: Either Robbie wasn't dead yet, or Robbie died some time ago and refused to crossover for whatever reason.

When he looked back to the brothers' embrace, a shining aura around them brought a smile to his face. He was comforted that Robbie found his peace, though he hated how it happened.

Stepping forward, he reached out and wrapped his arms around both. "Thank you," Robbie whispered to him. He felt a tear roll down his face and tightened his embrace. In what seemed to be a flash, the two brothers pulled apart with hands held, looked to the sky and vanished.

He took a deep breath and glanced back to the lonely, desolate home. Never before had it felt so empty. Something didn't feel right, however. "It's heartbreaking isn't it?" Death's voice didn't startle him as before, Beck calmly turned to the man and looked up at him.

"How long ago did he die? I didn't see his ghost while I was walking up with Rex, and Rex didn't seem to know."

"He knew…" Beck furrowed his brow as Death raised his head a bit to study the house. "Rex found his way here once his brother had passed away light." The words struck his chest like a knife and he slowly shook his head. "His family had an argument with him last night, after he decided to tell them everything he'd been doing that they didn't know about-as per his therapist's request."

"Like what?"

"Like the accident involving Katrina, or that he would stalk the girls and behave erratically, even using his puppet like it was a human being. They deemed him insane and were going to send him away to some psychiatric ward 'indefinitely'."

"Damn." Now he understood part of why Robbie felt this was a necessary end. All he wanted was to be reunited with his brother, and the last bit of family and support he had left was going to send him away. He clenched his fists tight and whispered to Robbie's spirit. "Rest in peace, Robbie…"

There was another element that came to him as a surprise: Once Robbie's ghost wandered, Rex was able to find him. "Jenny's father can pass between the club and cemetery, but he's never found his daughter." He looked to Death, furrowing his brow at the man. "Why? Rex knew when Robbie passed, came to me and we went to Robbie because?"

"They needed the help of a medium's touch to let their lost souls cross over, for one." Death began to walk down the street, so Beck turned to move with him. "As for Jenny and her father, I believe it is because of the evil that surrounds that place. He cannot roam as freely as he would like, nor for long, part of the curse means he will search and search for her and never find her."

"As in his final moments of life…"

"Exactly. In life he looked desperately for her; so close and yet so far. In death, he's forced to relieve that until something changes it. That's where you come in."

"God." A husky breath fell from his lips and he cast a glance over his shoulder, taking one final look at the Shapiro home. "Seems like a devil's curse, but how do I break a demon's curse over countless ghosts…and property itself? I feel like I'm in over my head." He looked to his hands and swallowed a lump in his throat. "And those waking nightmares you talked about…"

"You'll get used to them eventually. You'll learn to control them."

"I don't see how. So brutal."

* * *

So Robbie is gone, and that may take a while to sink in. Beck has discovered the waking nightmares, which seem to happen when a ghost comes in contact with him for the first time, or is it more random? In some cases he lives and feels what the dead felt, in others he watches powerlessly. What are your thoughts?


	10. Stronger than Demonic Possession

The Medium

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 10 (Stronger than Demonic Possession)

Well before he became a medium or even acknowledged the dead, Beck had always found cemeteries to be unsettling. He'd never been certain about his belief in ghosts before he could see them, but he always felt like they were around. Since he was a young boy, he'd always watch where he stepped so as not to step on someone else's grave; but now cemeteries were far more unsettling than before.

So much that he preferred to avoid them. As to be expected, they were a hotbed of paranormal activity, chock full of ghosts long since passed which he could be of no help to.

Funerals were no help either, standing awkwardly with hundreds of ghosts trying to decide if he could see and communicate with him. This was no different on the day of Robbie's funeral, yet the overall feeling was far greater for him than before.

They had the open casket service outside, and his friend looked as though he were asleep. His spirit was nowhere to be seen, having already left the mortal plain. The ghosts of the cemetery had mixed reactions on their faces, with some envying the man's spirit while others mourned the tragic loss of a young person.

An eerie wind blew through his hair and as he looked to the sky, he saw the clouds darkening. They bore a slight red hue. His only reaction was to narrow his eyes and look away. Nobody else saw this, and it wasn't hard to tell the vision was one of his own; and he hadn't yet learned to control what he was seeing. In reality, it was a clear day without ominous clouds.

Standing beside him was Jade, blowing her nose and wiping the tears from her face. She had a long black dress with lace over her chest, but at the bottom was something that didn't match: blood that licked and framed the bottom of the dress and tears forming as the wind kissed it. From this strange phenomenon the blood dripped to the ground, forming long trails that spiraled away from her. The blood seemed to rise slowly, painting her black dress crimson.

It was frightening to him, especially since she didn't appear to react to it. This had him questioning if the way he saw certain things affected only him, which made sense in his mind. After all, if he saw a flower that appeared dead when it wasn't, why would someone else be able to see the same vision that belonged to him? Even if they too could see ghosts, Jade's medium abilities weren't as professed as his were; but only because she wasn't using her powers like he was, which kept her powers from evolving or strengthening.

As he followed the blood trails, he saw where they started to look like chains attaching to cufflinks around the ankles of ghosts that were starting to appear. These ghosts were many, all drenched in blood and thin as though their very life essence had been drained. Their eyes seemed to glow, infused with anger and rage.

His hands clenched and he looked down to them, watching as part of his own spirit flickered in and out his wrist. He was trying to learn a new technique, where he could will his spirit to communicate with the ghosts, giving more of telepathic option, but it was a power that was incredibly difficult to harvest.

Suddenly he felt a surge through his body and his eyes closed tight. When he opened them, he found himself in a round room with stone walls and a gothic window before him. Turning, he saw a woman with her back to him, she had a long black dress in 16th century style and long black hair. As she turned her head, he could make out a familiarity in her pale face and vicious glare.

"What in the hell…" He didn't feel the pain he'd felt from other waking nightmares, but the time was so long ago that the ghost could potentially be desensitized. That was to say, if he was in place of the ghost.

As he looked around, he saw numerous dead bodies lined up against the wall, each with blood draining into tiny goblets at their feet. A sickening feeling came over him as he staggered back. "One more for the road," the woman replied.

Her deadly eyes bore into his and he froze. This woman looked exactly like Jade, and even had the same evil look in her eyes. It was a moment he knew to run, but his legs seemed frozen in place. "No, Jade, no." The woman made her approach, slowly pulling a long knife from her back. Beck's heart began to pound as she raised the knife towards his neck.

"Once I bathe in your blood, will I be granted the secret to eternal youth?" He trembled before her, trying to scream as she moved the blade slowly across his neck. It felt like fire being drawn across him, and blood slowly ran down his body as his knees began to buckle. "Vlad has got nothing on me…"

He knew who the countess was, but didn't know why he was seeing this or what it meant. Beck's consciousness left as his body collapsed into a heap, the last thing he saw was the Countess sliding her tongue across her lips as blood trickled down from her mouth.

Beck soon found himself back at the cemetery, his body trembling. He felt someone's hand gripping his arm and turned to see Jade. Startled at first, believing he was seeing this woman once again, he pulled his arm away on instinct. "Sorry," he said once he saw a hurt expression come over her.

"You're all clammy, Beck. Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm okay…" She frowned and gave him a skeptical look, suggesting she knew he must have had another vision. With as much of a reassuring smile as he could muster, he gave her forehead a kiss. "We'll talk about it later today, okay?"

"Got it."

After the service, while everyone was gathering together for the final goodbyes to family and friends, thanking those who had come, Beck quietly pulled Jade aside and into another room. Once he made sure no one was following, he closed the door for privacy and turned to Jade, who, fair to say, looked increasingly nervous. "So what's going on Beck? Why do you look so pale, and why are we off in a separate room?"

"So not everyone hears us talking about ghosts in public." He swept his hand tirelessly through his hair and walked to the wall, giving an exasperated sigh. "Honestly, I'm trying to look less like a nutcase talking to himself rather than looking more like one." Jade backed against a wall, pressing her hands against it and nodded back, slowly biting her lip.

"So you saw something…and it had to do with me?" She looked over her shoulder, her eyes darting about the room frantically. The imagery still hadn't left. Beck was still seeing her bloodstained dress flowering out, and the streams of blood forming chains to numerous sprits.

He had high hopes that Jade wouldn't fall victim to the supernatural again, and had been doing so much to keep that from happening, even becoming overprotective.

This was a haunting, or perhaps even a possession waiting to happen; but how had he not seen it before? Perhaps he couldn't see it because his powers hadn't been strong, or maybe he just hadn't been focused on Jade.

"You're being haunted, Jade." Rather than gloss over words, he knew she'd appreciate abruptness in an honest answer as opposed to sugarcoating. Unsurprisingly, her eyes went wide and she let her mouth fall open. "Not by one ghost, but many…many that are somehow connected to you."

He'd only seen this once before, and he didn't understand why it was happening to Jade; or why it was centuries later and to someone entirely different. "There are cases…" He locked his hands behind his back and took a deep breath. "Where victims of a murderer, usually a serial killer or a mass murderer, will latch onto their killer."

Jade's eyes darted to the side and she raised a hand to her neck, her left hand slowly wrapped around her wrist. "But I haven't-"

"I know, but I don't know what this is. These aren't your victims, and certainly they aren't fresh. They're the victims of Elizabeth Bathory, a serial killer from centuries ago that, well, she bathed in her victims blood thinking it'd give her eternal youth."

An eerie calm came over Jade and she closed her eyes. "I know who that is." She started to bow her head, raising her trembling hands to her face. Sensing her distress, Beck approached her and gently wrapped an arm around her. "Beck, she's my ancestor. My bloodline can be traced back to her."

He leaned his head back and his mouth formed an oval. "But she was found and tried for her crimes, wasn't she? She was executed, her victims got justice."

"Not all of them did. She was only discovered after she started going after women of nobility. The poor weren't important enough, they didn't get justice or recognition for what had been done."

"If that's true…" His voice trembled and he looked to the ghosts in the room, all glaring with glowering eyes. "Then this is more than a haunting, or even possession." It was a curse. "But if you're descended from her-"

"My mother's side." These sprits weren't just angry about the injustice done to them, there was something more they were angry about. "I think I know what it is, too." She let out a heavy sigh and began to shake. "It's a curse."

He didn't want to say it, he could hardly utter the word; but it was the only thing that made sense. "A curse would have to affect every generation, wouldn't it? Not just one person generations later."

"It did, and still does, if you think about it." Jade lifted her hand, slowly raising a finger as she counted off names. "My mother, my sister, my grandmother and her mother…and myself, if you really think about it."

"Say again?"

"The women in my family have always died tragic and violent deaths. Usually murder. Sometimes suicide, sometimes accidental; but always violent." He paused, his thoughts racing back to the car accident that started this entire thing. Jade was alive now, that was what the ghosts were upset about.

"You survived a curse."

There wasn't any breaking of a curse so strong. At least, it was evident the curse was still there. "But you didn't break the curse, Jade, they're still here. In my vision, I saw what your ancestor had done; and I thought maybe she was possessing you." He sighed. "But now I see."

He could feel the cries of the ghosts, throbbing in his brain. They wanted revenge, they wanted justice. These weren't the aristocratic victims at all, these were the women who never saw their injustices heard; the many unknown victims of the countess herself.

"I…" Trembling with grief and fear, he was uncertain that he'd seen anything like this before and even more uncertain of his ability to protect her this time. He was powerless, and he hated it. "I don't think I've ever seen a curse, much less dispelled one. Those things are stronger than hauntings and possessions."

Jade mustered up a calm smile and reached for his hand, giving him a warm but reassuring squeeze. "It'll be okay Beck. We'll find a way through it." She looked towards the floor and winced. "Besides, I think you're already facing a curse anyway, by the sound of it."

"What?"

"Doing some research, what's going on at that nightclub sounds like a curse mixed with demonic possession. It might not be a curse, and just a case of demonic possession; but I'm not sure. I mean, it's surely no Roland Doe or Annabelle." She chuckled morbidly and he could see a tear making its way down the side of her face.

"Hey," he whispered, raising a hand to her cheek to catch the tear. Her eyes lifted into his and her eyebrows closed together. "Hey, we'll solve this. I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you."

"If I'm really cursed, Beck…" Her voice grew weak and she moved her head towards his, pressing her forehead against his own. "I don't want to die again."

He was left wondering what could possibly bring about the end of such a curse. One thing he thought about curses was that they ended the bloodline of those afflicted; in which case, there were bound to be other descendants of Elizabeth Bathory.

Unless of course, there weren't any descendants left. If Jade was the final descendant to be afflicted by this curse, then her survival meant the chances of the murderess's bloodline would continue to flow. Somehow, Jade's line managed to survive throughout the ages, avoiding death. Was the curse slow-acting, or had her line just been lucky?

"Jade, you said the women in your family suffered tragic, violent deaths. What about the men?"

"No. My ancestor's victims were primarily women, and of course she was a woman herself. I'm guessing the curse falls on the women." He let out another heavy sigh, realizing what this meant. If true, the men in the families were carriers of the curse and Jade could have come from a long line of sons. "I haven't done much research on my ancestry, I only discovered that I was related to her through a school project a long time ago."

"Right. If you could, it might help to find out how many sons are in your lineage."

"I do know that I come from Elizabeth's first son. That's about all I can remember of it."

"When does the curse take hold? Your grandmother lived into her sixties, if I remember right. Then your mother, and of course your sister…there doesn't appear to be a particular age; but curses like this are meant to end bloodlines, and your mom had two children."

"Mom would have had a son, but he was stillborn." Beck jerked his head back, astonished. "If the curse is like what you're sounding, maybe it';s gotten strong enough to prevent more sons?"

"Sounds like sons would have furthered the bloodline, so any angry ghosts wanting to end the lives of Elizabeth's descendants would want to keep sons from being born-but they can't directly kill sons, so forcing a miscarriage…almost makes sense."

"If it is a curse, and if I'm the last descendant…"

"The ghosts would be getting restless over the years. I'm still wondering how your bloodline has survived so long."

"I'll start researching it again some. There's got to be a simple explanation." Either many sons, long age gaps between generations or a combination of the two. Bathory died in 1614, and the only thing he knew of any of her children from having read a few articles about her in the past during a brief period of morbid interest in the inspirations for Dracula, was that her son, Paul Nasady, was born in 1598 and died in 1650.

How many generations were between Paul and Jade, he had no idea, but it could be anywhere around twenty or more, or less depending on whatever gaps there could be.

"Another thing. Mom died in her fifties, grandma was closer to her mid-sixties. My great grandmother, and a few before her that I can remember made it well into their elder years."

"So the curse is getting swifter…"

"My sister did die very young, and I almost died, obviously…"

"We need to find a way to stop the curse now." Sometimes finding the source of a curse was one way to do it, but that would be far too difficult as Elizabeth was known to have killed over six hundred peasant women. "I thought the hardest thing was going to be that strip club…"

"Oh, I think if Death's right, something worse than either of these things is coming."

* * *

So Jade has another problem, or so it would seem Beck has another issue he must solve. No one said the road would be easy, and no journey is without it's all important side tasks. Looks like he'll have to save his girlfriend from something supernatural, but what do you think? Can they break her curse, or is she doomed to be at Death's threshold once again?


End file.
